Society

Japan's lower house slams Myanmar coup, calls for return to democracy

Jun 09 (abs-cbn.com) - Japan's lower house adopted a resolution Tuesday condemning the Feb. 1 coup staged by the Myanmar military and urging the Southeast Asian country to return to democracy.

The move reflects Japan's intention to show its opposition to the Myanmar junta ahead of a three-day summit meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations slated to begin Friday in Britain.

The resolution, adopted in a House of Representatives plenary session, described the military coup as an "act to trample on efforts and expectations for democratization" and called on the Japanese government to "make full use of all diplomatic resources and every effort to realize" the restoration of democracy in Myanmar.

It said the military junta "cannot be justified at all" and expressed "solidarity with the people of Myanmar," in reference to peaceful protesters.

The lower house also demanded an immediate halt of the junta's violence against civilians and the early release of political detainees including civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

A similar resolution is expected to be adopted Friday during a plenary session of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan's parliament.

More than four months after the military takeover, the junta's violence against civilians continues with the number of people killed surpassing 850 as of Monday, according to a human rights group monitoring the situation in the Southeast Asian country.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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