Japanese National Detained in Myanmar

By AFP 31 July 2022

YANGON—A Japanese man has been detained in Myanmar’s industrial capital Yangon, an official at Japan’s embassy confirmed Sunday, the newest foreigner ensnared within the junta-ruled nation.

A navy coup final 12 months sparked rolling protests and a lethal response from the junta, with greater than 2,000 individuals killed and a minimum of 14,000 arrested, based on a neighborhood monitoring group.

On Saturday, Japanese and native media mentioned filmmaker Toru Kubota, 26, was detained close to an anti-government rally together with two Myanmar residents.

“I can affirm a Japanese nationwide was detained yesterday in Yangon,” an official on the Japanese embassy informed AFP Sunday, requesting anonymity.

The embassy is “in touch with the authorities and taking measures to safe their launch”.

The Japanese official, who didn’t affirm the id of the detained particular person, mentioned that they had no data on whether or not he was arrested throughout a protest.

A junta spokesperson was not accessible for remark.

A small crowd rallied exterior Japan’s international ministry in Tokyo on Sunday, holding placards of Kubota.

A number of foreigners have been arrested within the navy’s crackdown on dissent for the reason that putsch.

Final 12 months Japanese filmmaker Yuki Kitazumi was detained by Myanmar authorities whereas masking the coup’s aftermath.

Beneath worldwide stress he was launched and returned to Japan in Might 2021.

Kitazumi expressed shock over Kubota’s detention, and mentioned he hoped he can be launched “quickly”.

“He’s a documentary videographer and there’s no motive for him to be arrested if he was gathering supplies,” he mentioned.

Myanmar’s junta has clamped down on press freedoms, arresting reporters and photographers, in addition to revoking broadcasting licences.

As of March this 12 months, 48 journalists stay in custody throughout the nation, based on monitoring group Reporting ASEAN.