Myanmar regained its independence after a century of British colonial rule. It has longstanding ties with Japan, and this year the two countries are celebrating the 70th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. Motoya Toshio spoke with H.E. Mr. Soe Han, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, about various topics including Myanmar’s historical ties with Japan, cooperation, and popular tourist attractions in Myanmar.

 

(M) Thank you for joining me on Big Talk today, and for coming to my birthday party in June. I wanted to speak with you because many Japanese people don’t know very much about Myanmar.

(H) I look forward to our conversation.

(M) I visited Myanmar around 10 years ago on one of APA Group’s annual overseas study tours. We went to the Japanese cemetery in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city. It’s the resting place of Japanese soldiers who died in action.

(H) I am glad to hear that you have been to Myanmar. The Japanese cemeteries throughout Myanmar are carefully maintained and well managed, and draw many family members of soldiers who regularly visit and pay respect there.

(M) We also went to the Sittaung River, where the Japanese military fought its final battle with the British army in Myanmar during World War II. I’m sure many things have changed in the decade since my visit, and I’m eager to learn more. Can you start by giving us an overview of your country?

(H) Myanmar shares borders with Thailand, Laos, China, India, and Bangladesh. It’s 1.8 times bigger than Japan and is home to about 55 million people.

(M) Myanmar is almost twice the size of Japan, but it has half the population.

(H) Yes. Yangon is the largest city and former capital, which was changed to Nay Pyi Taw in 2005. Myanmar is an ethnically diverse nation with more than 100 ethnic groups, including the Bamar people that make up 70% of the population. Most citizens are Buddhists, but some are Christian, Muslim, and other religions. The Bamar people established the Pagan dynasty, Myanmar’s first unified kingdom, in the 11th century. This was followed by the Toungoo and Konbaung dynasties. During the Anglo-Burmese Wars, the Konbaung dynasty was defeated in three wars with the British colonialists. Myanmar was incorporated into the British Raj in 1886 and remained a British colony for the next century until its independence in 1948. Due to the Divide and Rule policy of the British colonialists, some ethnic groups took up arms and tried to achieve their own autonomy by fighting the Central Government throughout the history of Myanmar. Today, it has close ties with Japan.

(M) In terms of historical ties, the Burma Independence Army (BIA) comes to mind.

(H) That’s right. In the 1930s there was a growing nationalist movement to regain independence from Britain. Japan supported the pro-independence movements. Thirty Myanmar people, widely known as the Thirty Comrades, were given military training by the Japanese army in Hainan, which was a part of Japan’s territory at that time. The BIA was formed by the Thirty Comrades together with the people on December 28, 1941. Burma regained its independence in 1948 and established diplomatic relations with Japan in 1954. Those wartime ties led to the unique, collaborative relationship between Japan and Myanmar today. Therefore, this year marks the 70th anniversary of that relationship.

(M) The two countries have longstanding diplomatic ties.

(H) Yes, and Japan has given Myanmar financial assistance totaling roughly 170 billion yen since 1954, including loans and grants in many fields like energy, infrastructure, human resource development, and education. The two countries have a lot of trade, investment, and economic exchange, and Japan is Myanmar’s fourth-largest export destination for finished clothing, seafood, and agricultural products.

 

(M) What are Myanmar’s major industries?

(H) Agriculture is our most important industry. We have a lot of arable land, and 70% of the workforce is in agriculture. Myanmar is also establishing the Thilawa Special Economic Zone and other Special Economic Zones as part of its efforts to become an industrialized nation, and is helping overseas companies set up operations there. Of course, these companies receive preferential treatment like customs privileges and tax exemptions for investors and shareholders. Myanmar’s economic growth depends on foreign investment, and more companies have advanced into Myanmar from Japan than other countries in the region. Japan has been making a lot of investments in other Southeast Asian countries. However, those nations have already become mature markets with rising wages. Myanmar is a large country with low wages and a skilled labor force. Therefore, Myanmar still has a great deal of market potential. Some Japanese businesspeople describe Myanmar as the “last frontier” in Southeast Asia.

(M) Is land affordable in Myanmar?

(H) Myanmar has lower land prices than other countries in the region.

 

(M) What are Myanmar’s must-see sightseeing spots?

(H) Myanmar still has a lot of potential in the field of tourism. We have beautiful nature, unspoiled beaches, and historical and cultural sites. The most famous is Bagan, regarded as one of the world’s three most important Buddhist sites along with Angkor Wat and Borobudur Temples. It’s the former location of a city from the Pagan dynasty, Myanmar’s first integrated kingdom, and has 3,000 pagodas built between the 11th and 13th centuries. Visitors can enjoy the extremely unique scenery of scattered pagodas amongst green plants. Bagan’s most beautiful pagoda is said to be the Ananda Temple. The central tower is 50 meters tall. The main hall is square shaped, with sides that are 63 meters long, and showcases glittering gold Buddhist statues that are 9.5 meters tall. The exterior is also stunningly beautiful. About five kilometers from this Old Bagan area is the golden Shwezigon Pagoda. At a slight distance you can find numerous Buddhist buildings, including the large and unfinished Dhammayangyi Temple. Bagan became a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site in 2019, and 90% of foreign tourists in Myanmar visit Bagan. Yangon, our largest city, is home to many interesting Buddhist sites as well, including the Shwedagon Pagoda, which is rather like a giant Buddhist theme park; the Sule Pagoda in the central part of the city; and the Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple, which has a 70-meter-long reclining Buddha statue.

(M) What else do you recommend?

(H) Another popular spot is Inle Lake in the southern part of Shan State. It’s at a higher latitude than Nay Pyi Taw or Yangon with a higher elevation, so it has a pleasant climate. The Intha people, who live around the lake, fish while using a rowing style in which they stand at the stern of a small boat and operate the oar with one leg. Visitors can tour the floating pagoda, cigar factory, and textile studio.

(M) Can you tell us about Myanmar’s cuisine?

(H) Our specialty is rice, which is the main part of our meals. We often eat it with hin, a type of curry-like stew. Mohinga is a dish made with rice noodles flavored in various ways.

(M) Rice and noodles are certainly familiar to Japanese people. When is the best season to visit Myanmar?

(H) Myanmar has a warm climate. The maximum temperature ranges between 25 and 37°C throughout the year, and the minimum temperature is between 18 and 20°C. The cold season is from November to February, the rainy season from June to October, and the hot season from March to May. I think the cold season is the best time for traveling to Myanmar.

(M) Are there any direct flights between Japan and Myanmar?

(H) There was a direct ANA flight from Narita to Yangon until 2021. Today you have to transfer in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur. I’m requesting that ANA resume their direct flights between the two countries.

(M) Airlines would probably consider regular flights if more Japanese tourists went to Myanmar. How many are there today?

(H) About 20,000 to 30,000 per year. Myanmar exempted visa requirements for Japanese people since 2018, but suspended this from the time of COVID-19 until now. I believe it will enter into force in the near future, so I hope more will come. We also need hotels and other infrastructure to help grow the tourism industry. I hope the APA Group will think about expanding into Myanmar in the near future!

(M) I’d seriously consider it, if there were direct flights and more Japanese tourists.

 

(M) When did you become the ambassador to Japan?

(H) I took up this role in 2020, but I came to Japan for the first time in 2002. I received a Japanese government scholarship and spent two years studying for my Master of Business Administration degree at the International University of Japan (IUJ) in Niigata. Afterwards, I worked as first secretary at the Myanmar Embassy in Japan from 2005 to 2008. I also worked at the Myanmar Embassy in China, then I returned to Myanmar and became permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2019. In October 2020, I came back to Japan for the first time in 12 years as the ambassador.

(M) I imagine you’ve traveled a lot, since you’ve been here for some time. What place made the biggest impression on you?

(H) I love the countryside, because I’m so used to living in the Tokyo metropolis. I visited Ishikawa Prefecture in January this year, which impressed me with its beautiful nature.

(M) I was born in Komatsu City, Ishikawa, and I still own a home in Kanazawa’s Buke Yashiki district.

(H) Really? I went there to help provide assistance to Myanmar citizens living in the region after the earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in January. Myanmar and Ishikawa have cooperated in the field of lacquerware, which is a specialty product for both countries. For instance, Wajima has superb techniques. Bagan and many other towns in Myanmar have made lacquerware items since ancient times. Myanmar’s unique lacquerware is very colorful with fine details. It’s made by applying layers of lacquer to a bamboo base. Detailed patterns are engraved using small knives, then the carvings are filled with colorful lacquer. Lacquerware specialists from Ishikawa Prefecture visited Myanmar to give training to the local people regarding how to improve their lacquerware products.

(M) I’d like to see that! My father wasn’t a lacquer craftsman, but he had a wood factory and made paulownia wood boxes to hold Kutani Ware ceramics in the days before the war. Paulownia can withstand flames, so this wood protects the box’s objects from fires.

(H) There are so many Japanese buildings and traditional crafts based on the wisdom of traditional artisans. I often visited Nara City, the location of Todai-ji and many other Buddhist temples. It’s home to the Great Buddha and other statues.

(M) It sounds like you enjoy visiting historical areas.

(H) Yes, as I mentioned, Myanmar is a nation with numerous temples and historical Buddhist sites. When I came here, I wanted to see Japanese Buddhist facilities. There are many large Buddha statues in Asia, but I was highly impressed by the size of Todai-ji’s Great Buddha when I went to Nara for the first time in 2005. I was surprised to learn that many Myanmar people send donations to Japanese shrines and temples. And as I come from a hot country, I’m also fond of visiting snowy regions like Hokkaido and Niigata.

 

(M) What is your opinion of Japan?

(H) Of course, Japan is perceived as one of the major countries on the global stage, and it is also promoting cooperation with the Southeast Asian region. All the ASEAN countries have maintained excellent relationships with Japan, and Japan also values these ties. Japan and Myanmar have a particularly close relationship – Myanmar always participates actively in events led by Japan, including the 1943 Greater East Asia Conference held in Tokyo. I’ve heard that, when Japanese soldiers who were in Myanmar during World War II returned to Japan, they spread information about the people of Myanmar, saying they were extremely cooperative and helpful to those in need. Myanmar citizens who visited Japan afterwards received a warm welcome. Some Japanese veterans created their own scholarship program for the people of Myanmar.

(M) The war was very complex, but Japan and Myanmar have had a close relationship in the postwar period.

(H) Since my appointment in 2020, I’ve spoken with many Japanese politicians about my desire to further improve Myanmar-Japan relations and cooperation. My first meeting with Japanese politicians was with the late Abe Shinzo, who had just stepped down as prime minister, along with his wife Akie. During his tenure as the prime minister of Japan, Abe made many efforts for the improvement of Myanmar’s economy and investment relations. It was a huge shock when he was assassinated two years ago. His death was so unfortunate. Thinking back, I was working at the Myanmar Embassy in Japan when Abe became prime minister for the first time in 2006. During his second stint as prime minister in 2013, he made the decision to provide a great deal of official development assistance (ODA) to Myanmar. His wife, Akie, also visited Myanmar several times and provided donations to young people for their educational needs.

(M) I was very close with Abe, and was previously vice-chairman of an organization working to help him win the position of prime minister. I’m so sad that he died that way. Even though Abe is gone, I hope you will work with Japanese politicians to strengthen ties between Japan and Myanmar. At the end of the interview, I always ask for a “word for the youth.”

(H) As you said, Japanese young people don’t know a lot about Myanmar. I hope young people will learn about the history of Asia and travel to Myanmar. Our two countries have an extremely close relationship, and I think we can move forward in ways that benefit both. I would love to see more economic cooperation led by young people who are familiar with Myanmar, the “last frontier.”

(M) I learned a great deal about Myanmar today. Thank you for joining me.

(H) Thank you.

 

BIOGRAPHY
Soe Han

Born in Yangon in 1964. Earned his M.Sc. (Physics) from Yangon University and his MBA from the International University of Japan. Joined the Myanmar Foreign Service in 1993, working at the embassies in Thailand, Japan, and China as secretary, counsellor, and minister counsellor. His past positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include director of the Political Department (2014) and permanent secretary (2019). Became the ambassador to Japan in October 2020.