Japan to stop Myanmar military training: ministry

Japan's defence ministry yesterday said it will halt training for members of Myanmar's military from next year over the junta's executions of pro-democracy activists. Before the executions, then-Japanese defence minister Nobuo Kishi had called on the junta to "swiftly end violence" and "take concrete measures to restore democracy". But absent any reform efforts and following the executions, Tokyo has decided to scrap the training. Since 2015, Japan has received 30 members of the Myanmar military as students at facilities including the National Defence Academy.