Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO)

RENGO requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan concerning Myanmar

On 23 January, RENGO requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) concerning Myanmar.

At the beginning of the meeting, General Secretary Hideyuki Shimizu handed a written request addressed to Foreign Minister Kamikawa to Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Komura, requesting that RENGO's demands be reflected in foreign policies and other measures. Shimizu expressed deep concern that since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, there has been repression against trade unions and activists, human rights violations, etc., with no signs of improvement but rather an increase in the severity of these violations. He also stressed that the international trade union movement as a whole would work towards the democratization of Myanmar and the early restoration of a free and democratic trade union movement towards the ILO Governing Body and the International Labour Conference. He added that as 1 February marks three years since the coup d'état, RENGO will work towards Myanmar's democracy in cooperation with Myanmar's democratic movement groups in Japan. After that, Executive Director Ryo Saito outlined the specific contents of the request and requested, particularly the following points:

The Government of Japan

1. call on the military authorities to immediately release all the imprisoned trade unionists including Thet Hnin Aung of MICs-TUFs and to return the country to democracy,
2. supports placing an item on the agenda of the 112th International Labour Conference on measures to secure compliance with the recommendations of the COI, including measures under article 33 of the ILO Constitution, and
3. supports the recognition of the National Unity Government (NUG) by the UN to enable them to participate as the Government of Myanmar at the 112th session of the International Labour Conference.

In response, Mr. Komura said, “Japan is seriously concerned about the situation in Myanmar, which continues to deteriorate. We have consistently and strongly urged the Myanmar Armed Forces to take concrete action to stop violence against civilians immediately, release detained officials, including State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, and restore the democratic political system as soon as possible. We will continue to urge them to do so.”