Mizzima

Japan has lodged an official complaint with Myanmar after it found out that three Japanese passenger ships supplied through a development assistance programme were used for military purposes by the Myanmar junta, according to a report by the Asahi Shimbun news website.

Two ships were supplied in 2017 and one in 2019 through the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA), which states that nothing supplied through the ODA can be used for military purposes, according to the report. 

The ships were only to be used by civilian passengers, but local media reported in September 2022 that the ships were, at that time, being used to transport junta troops and weapons in Rakhine State.

Asahi Shimbun said that Myanmar has assured Japan that it will not violate the ODA rules again.