A fundraising event and praying ceremony to mark Aung San Suu Kyi’s 78th birthday is to be held In Tokyo, Japan on 18 June.

The event, to celebrate Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday on 19 June, is taking place in Toyama Park in Tokyo from 10:00 a.m. on 18 June.

One of the event organisers said: “The purpose of the birthday praying ceremony is to show that the public is united and supports the unjustly detained and imprisoned public leader. Another reason is, since the birthday person is absent, those who love and respect her want to make a birthday donation on her behalf.”

They said that as well as the praying ceremony there will be readings of Aung San Suu Kyi’s teachings, photos of her notes and a raffle.

Additionally, the first thousand attendees will receive a handkerchief with Aung San Suu Kyi’s signature. There will also be a book where visitors can write birthday wishes for Aung San Suu Kyi.

At a previous praying ceremony held in Japan in 2022, more than 80 million kyats in donations was raised. the money was reportedly used to reconstruct villages that had been torched by the Myanmar junta.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to 33 years in prison by the military junta and she is currently being held at Naypyidaw Prison.