Japan 'remains strongly interested in Dawei'
A Japanese official confirmed last week that Tokyo was interested in joining the development of the Dawei Special Economic Zone.
"A discussion is going on between the three governments," the official said on condition of anonymity.
On September 27, Japanese government representatives attended the Joint Coordinating Committee in Yangon, at which Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, and Set Aung, deputy minister for Myanmar’s National Planning and Economic Development agency, were also present.
The official added that Japan had shown strong interest in the project.
Meanwhile, the Myanmar Times quoted Set Aung as saying that Japan was expected to announce it decision on the Dawei special economic zone (SEZ) as early as next month – at the second JCC meeting in Nay Pyi Taw.
In an interview with Eleven Myanmar earlier this week, Deputy Minister of Transport Han Sein, who is also chairperson of the Dawei SEZ scrutinising committee, said: "If Japan wants to get involved in SEZ, they will have to use public funding. So they will need to explain the SEZ to any Japanese company that might be interested."
Myanmar and Thailand are planning to sign a joint venture at the second meeting and plan to give general power to the company. The deputy minister said this arrangement had been made at the first joint meeting.
