The Burmese military staged a coup d’état on the first of this month, taking away Ung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and many other senior members of the ruling party, causing an outcry from all walks of Life. Kirin Brewery announced earlier that it has suspended two joint ventures in Myanmar, becoming the first Japanese company to take action to condemn the Burmese military.
Nikkei Asian Review reported that Kirin Brewery issued a statement earlier today, stating that the Myanmar military’s actions “violate our standards and human rights policies…. We have no choice but to terminate our existing joint venture partnership with Myanmar Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (MEHL). …… We will take urgent steps to make this termination effective.
The Myanmar Economic Holdings Public Company Limited is an undertaking of the Myanmar military, the report noted. Kirin Japan entered into a joint venture with Myanmar Economic Holdings in 2015 for Myanmar Fine Brew (Myanmar Brewery Ltd) as well as Mandalay Brewery Ltd. The Japanese side holds a 51% stake and the Myanmar side holds 49%.
In 2018, a UN report investigating the Rohingya issue noted that cooperation with the Myanmar military’s business poses a high risk of human rights violations. Human rights groups have also repeatedly called on foreign investors such as Kirin Beer to stop working with the Myanmar military. Human Rights Watch said Kirin’s action today was a “long-awaited but welcome move,” and called on other foreign investors in Burma to follow suit.
Japan’s Kirin Beer owns 51% of two Burmese beer companies
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