Abe arrives in Myanmar on first trip by Japan PM in 36 years

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today arrived in Myanmar on the first visit to the country by a Japanese leader in 36 years, as Tokyo bids to reassert its position as a top economic partner after decades of frosty relations with the previous military regime.
Travelling with a delegation of business leaders, Abe was greeted on his arrival in the evening in the main city of Yangon by its chief minister, Myint Swe, and other officials.
The relatively low-ranking reception was because Abe did not arrive in the country's isolated capital, Naypyitaw, where he will meet with President Thein Sein on Sunday.

But some warmth was added to Abe's arrival by two girls in traditional national dress who presented the prime minister and his wife with flowers as they exited their plane. They were also feted inside the airport terminal by members of Myanmar's ethnic minorities, in their own traditional costumes.
The last Japanese premier to visit Myanmar was Takeo Fukuda in 1977 during the Socialist regime of the late dictator Gen. Ne Win.
"Japan will cooperate in Myanmar's reforms with both public - and private - sector assistance," Abe told reporters in Tokyo before his departure, according to Kyodo News agency.

Abe will also meet Myanmar democracy icon and lawmaker Aung San Suu Kyi, whom he interacted with during her visit to Japan in April.

Japanese companies are eager to invest in Myanmar after it started to open up when Thein Sein took office in 2011. With the US and European Union relaxing sanctions, Japan, Myanmar's largest aid donor, has moved quickly to capitalise on Myanmar's resources and its new economic environment without sanctions.
At least 35 Japanese investment projects are under way in Myanmar, the biggest being plans to develop the 2,400-hectare Thilawa Special Economic Zone near Yangon, led by trading companies Mitsubishi Corp., Marubeni Corp. And Sumitomo Corp.

Abe is scheduled to sign agreements to provide Japanese grant money for human resources development and to extend the first Japanese government loan to the impoverished but resource-rich country since it cancelled USD 3.58 billion in debt in January.