Letter Sent to 125 Investors to Urge Japanese Companies Continuing Business in Myanmar to Stop Funding the Military

Mekong Watch
Friends of the Earth Japan
Justice For Myanmar
ayus: Network of Buddhists Volunteers on International Cooperation
Japan International Volunteer Center
Network Against Japan Arms Trade

Six civil society organizations that have been urging Japanese companies to give appropriate consideration to the environment, society, and human rights in their overseas business operations, sent a letter on January 18, 2022 to 125 corporate investors holding shares in ENEOS Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, Marubeni Corporation, and Mitsubishi Corporation. These Japanese companies continue to invest in four problematic projects in Myanmar, despite the unacceptable risk of the projects financing the Myanmar military, thereby supporting the military’s international crimes and grave violations of human rights, including murder, wrongful arrest and arbitrary detainment, sexual violence, forced disappearances, and torture.

Although the above four companies have expressed general concerns over violence and human rights violations perpetrated by Myanmar’s military, they have not officially declared specific plans to avoid the risk of their own business activities in Myanmar aiding and abetting grave human rights violations by the military, or announced plans to alter the course of their business activities. The four companies are involved in the following four problematic projects in Myanmar: Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Development Project, Yetagun Gas Project, Landmark Project (Yoma Central Project); and Thilawa Area Port Terminal Operation Project.

The letter requests all holders of shares in the Japanese companies involved in the four projects to promptly engage with their investees and to urge the companies to take measures to ensure that their business activities do not benefit the Myanmar military. The letter further asks the corporate investors to consider divestment if the companies do not take sufficient measures.

For details on the four projects, please refer to the letter to investors:

In Japanese

http://www.mekongwatch.org/report/burma/mbusiness/20220118Letter_Jp.pdf

In English

http://www.mekongwatch.org/report/burma/mbusiness/20220118Letter_Eng.pdf

List of 125 investors：

http://www.mekongwatch.org/report/burma/mbusiness/20220118List.pdf

Contact:

Mekong Watch

3F Aoki Bldg., Taito 1-12-11,

Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0016

Japan