Japanese firm got U.S. sanctions exemption to pay Myanmar military company: official

A Japanese construction firm was granted an exemption by the U.S. government to make payments to a Myanmar military-owned company despite sanctions aimed at cutting off the Myanmar junta that seized power in a coup from sources of revenue, a Japanese official said.

And next article just under that:

NATO chief wants stronger ties with Japan to defend democracy

Defending the interests of capital is the priority for the one party representative "democracies" East and West.

Bizness ethics: money trumps morality (you can take it to the bank!).

News about Myanmar has just about disappeared from the media. While everyone is focusing their attention on Ukraine, it seems that Japan is quietly pushing economic engagement in the country once called Burma.

When you consider all of the stifling sanctions and grand pronouncements criticizing Russia over Ukraine and China over Taiwan or the Uighur people, this level of hypocrisy is off the scale.

When you consider all of the stifling sanctions and grand pronouncements criticizing Russia over Ukraine and China over Taiwan or the Uighur people, this level of hypocrisy is off the scale.

So, the Ukrainians shouldn't be helped, because Taiwan and the Uighurs? Huh?

When you consider all of the stifling sanctions and grand pronouncements criticizing Russia over Ukraine and China over Taiwan or the Uighur people, this level of hypocrisy is off the scale.

> So, the Ukrainians shouldn't be helped, because Taiwan and the Uighurs? Huh?

no. the point is that all atrocities, genocides, and human rights abuses should be addressed without allowances for economic or strategic considerations. justice should be blind to special-interests.

Exactly.

There's nothing like preaching a "rules based international order" and then breaking the rules whenever it's convenient.

@Donald Seekins My wife has worked in the Ministry Foreign Affairs in 2 SE Asian countries. MOFA has targeted Myanmar/Burma for years, often disregarding human rights abuses. It's part of a bigger effort to counter China's huge and growing influence in the region.