2 Japanese manufacturers halt production in Myanmar after coup

why are japanese companies operating in a country run by genocidal gangsters in the first place?

why are japanese companies operating in a country run by genocidal gangsters in the first place?

Good point. At least they are taking action now?

Good for Suzuki!

It will be my next vehicle..

Dictators, like Putin, Assad, Xi, or the leader in Burma, are only minimally affected by most economic sanctions. The people of the countries concerned are very much affected. What the dictators care about is staying in power, not the economic well-being of their countries' populace. I think that the leaders of democracies should be careful about actions that adversely affect people, but not dictators.

why are japanese companies operating in a country run by genocidal gangsters in the first place?

Do you remember how the west pressed the military in Myanmar to allow democratic elections? It was a decades long effort. In 2015 the military relented and allowed the formation of a mostly civilian government. The reward from the west for opening their government was an opening for business, and investment in their economy. The idea was that Myanmar would see that as a democracy they have more economic opportunities and their standard of living would improve hopefully to a point where a return to military rule would be unthinkable. That didn't happen but there is no shame in trying. None at all. And if the current demonstrations are an indication it may work in the end after all.

What the dictators care about is staying in power, not the economic well-being of their countries' populace

The two are frequently intertwined. A dictatorship that does not deliver economic growth and noticeably increasing standard of living is asking for a revolution. It was economic collapse that led to the dissolution of the old USSR, and it is the threat of a declining economy that keeps people up at night in Beijing. Events in Myanmar have not played out yet as there are big demonstrations against the return of military rule. Give this some time.