A new development framework was laid out by Japan's government aid agency, JICA, and Myanmar's Ministry of Border affairs, which will implement sweeping changes to S. E. Myanmar with major implications for future trade with Thailand and S. E. Asia.
With the three planned southeast’s economic corridors leading to the three ports of Thilawa, the proposed new port at Kyaikkhami and the Dawei port, Japan will become the strategic leader to facilitate trade and transport from Thailand and China to the Andaman Sea. Japan already owns 49% of the Thilawa port and industrial zone, is moving towards taking the leading share of the Dawei port complex and would facilitate the new port and industrial zone at Kyaikkhami.
By taking the lead on the overall development framework to feed these ports and industrial zones, the Japanese economic footprint in this region will be returning to a time not seen since its Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere (大東亜共栄圏 Dai-tō-a Kyōeiken) implemented during WWII.
The new development framework has strong backing in Myanmar as the Ministry of Border Affairs is directly controlled by the Military Commander in Chief, not the president.
See Highlights from the JICA report.
