Human Rights Watch calls on Japan to suspend military exchange with Myanmar

TOKYO(REUTERS) - Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Japan on Monday (Dec 20) to halt a military study-abroad programme in which cadets from Myanmar receive combat training.

Since a February coup in Myanmar, Japan has cut new aid and called on the Myanmar military to halt violence, but human rights groups have been asking for stronger action such as economic sanctions.

Japan has sought to balance its support for Myanmar democracy with its efforts to counter China's influence there, officials and analysts have said.

The two countries have an academic exchange programme, under which eight cadets from the Myanmar military are studying at Japan's National Defence Academy.

"It's mind boggling that Japan is providing military training to Myanmar cadets at the same time as its armed forces are committing crimes against humanity against Myanmar's people," HRW said in a statement.

The exchange programme for cadets from foreign countries provides the same courses that Japanese cadets take, according to the academy's website. The academy includes a broad range of military training from combat arms to basic command and operation.

Japan's defence ministry, which runs the National Defence Academy, had no immediate comment on HRW's statement.

Revelations about economic ties to Myanmar's military may put more pressure on Tokyo and Japanese companies to drop them, according to human rights groups.

Myanmar's military overthrew the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, claiming election fraud, and this month sentenced her to four years in prison.

More than 1,300 protesters have been killed by troops, independent observers say.

Australia has suspended its defence cooperation programme with Myanmar in non-combat areas such as English-language training and New Zealand has stopped all high-level military contact with Myanmar.