Civil Military Relations in Myanmar: JSDF’s Approach Towards Myanmar

Armed Forces

March 25, 2015

Noboru YAMAGUCHI

Japan’s National Security Strategy and Mil-Mil Contacts

Key Concept: “Proactive Contribution to Peace”

Multi-layered efforts for national securitya)Japan’s own defense capabilities, b)US-Japan alliance, c)Security cooperation with partners such as ROK, Australia, and ASEAN member states…China

National Defense Academy: Convenient toola)120 international undergraduate students +b)International Cadets Conferencec)International Seminar on Military Science

Feb 2012 Vice Defense Minister Kanazawa to Myanmar May 2014 General Iwasaki, Chief of Joint Staff to MyanmarJul 2014 Vice Defense Minister Takeda to MyanmarSep 2014 Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar Defense Service to Japan

Japan-Myanmar Mil-Mil ContactsHigh-level Exchanges

Myanmar DS participates in ISMS of 2013 and 2014.Myanmar DSA sends students since 2014 and 2015NDA accepts two students from Myanmar April, 2015Track-two General/flag Officers Visit (December 2014)

Japan-Myanmar Mil-Mil ContactsRecent Development

Towards Healthy Civil Military Relations

Problem with DSA Recruit?Attractive Academies?

Healthy Competition with Civilian Education

1. Human Resource-Annual graduates from Defense Service Academy decreased from 2,000 to 500. -Defense Service Academy with recruiting problems-Civilian society needs to grow. 2. Democracy v.s. Efficiency of the Government - Election is enough?? (“We select those to be elected” mentality remains? 3. Healthy Civil-Military Relations - Lack of sources for highly educated civilian with some military background

Implications

Conclusion

Long way to go!Start ASAP!