The western camp finds itself divided over the Myanmar controversy. After India, Japan also maintains that there has been no genocide of the Rohingya people, but rather a counter-terrorist crackdown on the "Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army," also known by its former name Harakah al-Yaqin, or "Faith Movement."
The 2016-17 violence that bore the hallmarks of genocide was only a tip of the iceberg of the Myanmar government’s longstanding discriminatory policies. Marzuki Darusman, the head of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, stated in October 2019 that Myanmar is still failing to prevent, investigate, and effectively criminalize genocide. The threat of extreme violence recurring is real. Myanmar has perpetrated rounds of violence since the 1970s, and the international community failed to protect the Rohingya every time.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020, 13:00 - 14:00
Zaw Min Htut, Vice President, Burmese Rohingya Association in Japan
Michimi Muranushi, Citizen Ambassador, Free Rohingya Coalition
"Rohingya Crisis and Japan's Denial of Genocide"
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in English.
The ongoing Rohingya crisis in Myanmar that has seen more than 700,000 people from the ethnic minority of the Rakhaine region driven out of their homes and pushed beyond the country's border into Bangladesh, has been regarded by many, if not most, in the international community as a crime against humanity. There have been many cases of murder, rape and looting. The United Nations Human Rights Commission has repeatedly called on the government of Myanmar to bring the perpetrators to justice and a number of countries have imposed sanctions against its military leadership.
The Daily Star
Friday, November 8, 2019 Diplomatic Correspondent
Japan stands by the Rohingyas for ensuring their early repatriation to Myanmar, said newly-appointed Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito.
“I would like to emphasize that Japan and its people would not hesitate to extend our hands to all those who are suffering from the situation, and stand with them with the view of realizing early repatriation to Myanmar in a safe, voluntary and dignified manner,” he said in a statement, following a visit to Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday.
Drowned out by the noise of the Rugby World Cup and overshadowed by the deadly devastation wrought by Typhoon Hagibis was a meeting between Japan’s leaders and an alleged war criminal, which went largely unreported by the media and unnoticed by the public.
Myanmar military commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing – whom a United Nations-backed fact-finding mission found should be “investigated and prosecuted” for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine state – visited Tokyo this month at the invitation of Japan’s Defense Ministry. There he met with government ministers, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi speaks to the Nikkei Asian Review on Oct. 23 in Tokyo. (Photo by Wataru Ito)
TOKYO -- Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi said amending the constitution is needed for Myanmar to transition to a "complete democracy," but is unlikely to happen before next year's election.
In a 30-minute interview with the Nikkei Asian Review in Tokyo, where she was visiting to attend the enthronement of the Japanese emperor, Suu Kyi also said the crackdown against the Muslim minority group Rohingya was in response to a "terrorist attack."
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi in Tokyo, Oct. 21, 2019. Myanmar State Counselor's Office
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday to quickly facilitate the repatriation of over 700,000 Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to their former homes in Rakhine state, also urging the de facto national leader to guarantee safe conditions for their return.
Coinciding with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to
the Japanese capital, dozens of Arakanese people stage a protest in
front of the Myanmar Embassy in Tokyo on Monday. / Myat Thaw Khine
YANGON—In a move timed to coincide with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to Japan, dozens of Arakanese people staged a protest in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Tokyo on Monday afternoon condemning her government for arresting civilians and expanding the conflict in Rakhine State, a campaign they labeled a “silent genocide.”
The State Counselor arrived in Tokyo on Sunday night in order to attend the Japanese emperor’s enthronement ceremony on Tuesday. Upon her arrival, she was welcomed by a group of supporters who held a banner denouncing the planned embassy protest.
bdnews24.com
Senior Correspondent
bdnews24.com Updated: 28 Aug 2019
Dhaka University’s Professor of International Relations Prof Imtiaz Ahmed has said Myanmar is staging a ‘drama’ in the name of repatriating the forcibly displaced Rohingyas as they feel they have 'some important' countries in the region in their ‘pocket’.
“They think they have at least three countries in their pocket, so they think, ‘what can Bangladesh do?’” he remarked, naming China, India and Japan, at a discussion on the two years of the latest Rohingya crisis on Tuesday.
Cox’s Bazar, July 31 (UNB) - One of the world’s largest humanitarian solar water systems was officially inaugurated on Wednesday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and partner the Japan International Development Agency (JICA).
The network will provide safe, clean water to approximately 30,000 people living in the Kutupalong Mega-Camp from a deep underground well.
Says Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Hiroyasu Izumi
Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Hiroyasu Izumi addresses a press conference at his Baridhara residence in Dhaka on June 6, 2019. Photo: Star
Terming the prevailing situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine state complicated, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Hiroyasu Izumi has said his country will stay beside the host country for immediate resolution into the crisis.
“Japan is beside Bangladesh on the Rohingya issue and it will continue its supports resolving the crisis,” Izumi said while addressing a press conference at his Baridhara residence in Dhaka yesterday evening.
More than 700,000 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh fleeing the violence which erupted in Myanmar on August 25, 2017 Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune
Japan's envoy has said Japan supports repatriation 'peacefully, through negotiation' with Myanmar
Japan has emphasized the need for safe, voluntary repatriation of Rohingyas—with dignity—with the cooperation of the United Nations (UN), noting that there is not enough support for the Rohingya.
Japanese Ambassador Hiroyasu Izumi and Representative of UNHCR in Japan
Diek Hebecker handed the colorful origami cranes folded by Rhingya
people to Vice Mayor of Hiroshima City Shiro Tani on Tuesay, April 16,
2019
UNB
Rohingya people in Cox’s Bazar made one thousand origami paper cranes for Japan
One thousand origami paper cranes, folded by hundreds of Rohingya people in Cox’s Bazar, have been transported to Hiroshima and have conveyed their wishes and messages for peace to the Japanese people.
Nearly one million Rohingya refugees are in Bangladesh. Photo / The Washington Post by Ismail Ferdous
Washington Post By: Jayita Sarkar analysis
Last month the United Nations and its partners appealed for US$920 million ($1.34 billion) to assist nearly one million Rohingya refugees now encamped in Bangladesh. These refugees are fleeing the violence in the northern part of the Rakhine state in Burma. That violence has been perpetrated by the Burmese military under the pretext that the Rohingya are not citizens of Burma, also known as Myanmar, but "resident foreigners" from Bangladesh who neither speak the Burmese language nor are part of Burma's myriad ethnic groups.
By Ikuko Higuchi / Japan News Staff Writer Japan was hailed by the Asian University for Women’s vice chancellor, Prof. Nirmala Rao, for helping make such a success of the university at an AUW fundraising event at the Tokyo American Club in the capital’s Minato Ward on Thursday.
“The first support group (for the university) was Japan’s, and it makes the largest contribution,” said Prof. Rao in her speech at the event. “Today, 38 percent of AUW’s entire budget comes from Japan.”
According to Prof. Rao, more than 800 students of 17 countries and 35 ethnicities, including Rohingya refugees who fled from violence in Myanmar, are currently enrolled at AUW. The majority of the students, 72 percent, are on full scholarship from the university, funded by foundations and businesses in the United States, Europe and Asia.
Courtesy of Euglena Co. Workers harvest mung beans in Bangladesh, cultivating the vegetable with the help of Euglena GG.
The Yomiuri Shimbun
A Tokyo-based biotechnology venture, Euglena Co., has formed a business tie-up with the World Food Program to introduce a cultivation technique for mung beans to Bangladesh and deliver the beans to Rohingya Muslims who have fled to the country.
Japan will continue its support to Bangladesh in its bilateral efforts to repatriate Rohingyas to Myanmar.
Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshiko Abe said this during official talks with his Bangladesh counterpart Md Shahriar Alam in Dhaka on Tuesday.
He is paying a two-day visit to reiterate Japan’s efforts in resolving Rohingya crisis, the foreign ministry said.
Issues of bilateral relations were also discussed.