October 2, 2025

The cross-party Japanese parliamentarians’ league supporting democratization of Myanmar on October 1 submitted to the Foreign Ministry a written request demanding that the Japanese government increase its humanitarian aid to Myanmar.

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira joined in this action.

In Myanmar, since the 2021 coup, the repression of protesters by the military junta has continued, and the number of internally displaced people (IDP) exceeds 3.5 million.

The supra-partisan Dietmembers’ group in its document pointed out that the humanitarian situation in Myanmar is critical. It continued to point out that especially in areas hit hard by a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake in March, many people are facing hunger and destitution. As major factors, they cited that the Myanmar military restricted the flow of international assistance and that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has suspended its program distributing essential food, medical supplies, and other items due to President Trump’s cuts in foreign aid.

The group called on the Japanese government to respond to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar by such means as providing more humanitarian aid supplies to Myanmar citizens and introducing a program to accept IDPs wishing to study and work in Japan. In addition, the group urged the government to express neither its support for nor its endorsement to a Myanmar general election which the military junta plans to bulldoze through in December.

JCP Koike in the submission noted that violence targeting civilians by the military has escalated, and said that Japan should limit its ODA programs solely to humanitarian support in order to prevent them from becoming a funding source for the Myanmar military.

Regarding Koike’s request, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Miyaji Takuma in response said that the ministry will continue providing humanitarian assistance in collaboration with relevant NGOs.