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Viewing cable 07RANGOON754, JAPANESE TRADE WITH BURMA ON THE RISE

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07RANGOON754 2007-08-17 06:26 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Rangoon
VZCZCXRO2749
RR RUEHBZ RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGO #0754/01 2290626
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170626Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6362
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1482
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0434
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 4581
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1978
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3973
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7528
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0640
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5082
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 1167
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 1036
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0030
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3231
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0879
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000754 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EB/TRA 
PACOM FOR FPA 
TREASURY FOR OSIA:SCHUN 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD EINV PREL BM
SUBJECT: JAPANESE TRADE WITH BURMA ON THE RISE 
 
RANGOON 00000754  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary.  Trade relations between Japan and Burma have 
improved during the past five years, in Burma's favor.  According to 
the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Burma exported more 
than $245 million in products to Japan in 2006, an increase of 139 
percent since 2001.  Burma imported $103 million from Japan in 2006, 
a decrease of 47 percent since 2001, but an increase of almost 13 
percent over the previous year.  Japanese Embassy officials point to 
the construction of the new capital in Naypidaw as the main reason 
for the increase of Japanese exports, primarily heavy machinery and 
vehicles, to Burma between 2005-2006.  The Japanese Government 
continues to discourage new investment in Burma, although Japanese 
companies would quickly return when the situation changes.  End 
Summary. 
 
Burmese Exports on the Rise 
--------------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU)  During a meeting with Norifumi Ichikawa and Atsushi 
Igarashi, Japanese Embassy economic officers, we discussed the 
changing nature of Japanese-Burmese trade, the possibility of new 
Japanese investment, and Burma's worsening investment climate.  Mr. 
Igarashi explained that Burmese exports to Japan consist of lower 
value added products such as agricultural goods, wood, footwear and 
apparel.  Although the value of Burmese exports to Japan increases 
annually, the trend is not reflected in Japanese exports to Burma. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
              Burma-Japan Trade, 2001-2006 
                     In USD millions 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
Year    Burmese      Percent       Burmese      Percent 
        Imports      Change        Exports      Change 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
2001    187.113         --         102.500          -- 
2002    114.700       -38.7        110.200         7.5 
2003    123.700         7.8        138.800        25.9 
2004    105.371       -14.8        180.077        29.7 
2005     91.835       -12.8        203.528        13.0 
2006    103.647        12.9        245.280        20.5 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
Source:  Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), July 2007 
 
3.  (SBU)  In 2006, Japan imported more than $245 million from 
Burma, an increase of 20 percent over 2005 values.  Between 
2001-2006, Japanese imports of Burmese products rose more than 139 
percent, from $102 million in 2001 to $245 million in 2006.  Mr. 
Ichikawa elucidated that there is a growing demand in Japan for 
certain Burmese products, including agricultural products, fish and 
seafood, textiles and footwear.  In the past year alone, Burmese 
exports of fruits and grains increased from less than $6 million in 
2005 to more than $14 million in 2006.  Burmese products, Mr. 
Ichikawa commented, are relatively inexpensive compared to products 
from China, Thailand or Vietnam, and the improving quality and low 
cost of these products makes them attractive to Japanese consumers. 
 
4.  (SBU)  The statistics on the Japanese exports to Burma depict a 
much different trade relationship.  Between 2001-2005, Japanese 
exports to Burma decreased by 51 percent, from $187 million to $91 
million.  Mr. Ichikawa noted that the withdrawal of several large 
Japanese trading companies in 2001-2002 and the high cost of 
Japanese products relative to Burmese goods explain the drop in 
imports.  Between 2005-2006, however, Japanese exports to Burma 
increased 13 percent.  The sale of heavy machinery products and 
vehicles account for the majority of this increase, Mr. Igarashi 
explained.  Due to the construction of the new capital in Naypidaw, 
the Burmese government imported more heavy machinery, machine parts, 
 
RANGOON 00000754  002.4 OF 002 
 
 
and vehicles in 2006.  Both Mr. Igarashi and Mr. Ichikawa believe 
this trend will continue in 2007, although the increase in Japanese 
exports to Burma should not be as dramatic as the increase in 
Japan's imports of Burmese products. 
 
Discouraging New Investment 
--------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU)  No new Japanese investment has gone forward in Burma 
since 2001.  Mr. Igarashi noted that although Japanese companies, 
particularly oil and gas and import/export companies, are interested 
in establishing operations in Burma, they are unwilling to take the 
risk.  He explained that Burma's worsening investment climate -- no 
rule of law, a poor exchange rate policy, frequently changing 
foreign investment regulations, and lack of infrastructure -- deters 
foreign investment.  Previously, large Japanese trading companies, 
such as Mitsubishi, had sizeable offices in Rangoon; these offices 
have either closed or have dwindled to one-man shops.  Mr. Igarashi 
also acknowledged that the Japanese government, which supports the 
United States' Burma policy, discourages companies from investing in 
Burma.  "It is not illegal for them to invest in Burma, but it is 
not recommended," he declared.  "When and if U.S. sanctions are 
lifted, Japanese companies will flood the Burmese market," Mr. 
Ichikawa opined, "as they see Burma as the final destination for 
investment in the Asian region." 
 
6.  (SBU)  According to the Myanmar Chamber of Commerce, 22 Japanese 
companies operate in Burma in three primary sectors:  the garment 
industry, oil and gas, and agriculture.  Many of these companies, 
however, are in Burma in name only -- they no longer do business in 
the country.  The Myanmar Chamber of Commerce reports that Japanese 
investment totals $211 million, which accounts for 1.45 percent of 
Burma's total foreign direct investment. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7.  (SBU) Japanese companies have begun to shift operations from 
China to other Asian countries, such as Vietnam and Thailand, but 
they continue to shy away from Burma.  Although the Japanese 
officers we met with noted that Japan's support for U.S. economic 
sanctions plays a part in this decision, Burma's poor and 
ever-worsening investment climate is also a factor.  In order to 
attract the foreign investment it so desperately needs, the GOB must 
establish liberal trade policies; encourage privatization and open 
competition; normalize exchange rate policies; and establish the 
rule of law.  Without these reforms, only those foreign investors 
pillaging Burma's lucrative natural resource sectors will continue 
to take the risks. 
 
 
VILLAROSA