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Japan Says Use of Term 'Foreign Minister' Does Not Mean Approval of Myanmar Junta

© AP Photo / APAn anti-coup protester displays defaced images of Commander in chief, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing in Mandalay, Myanmar, Wednesday, March 3, 2021.
An anti-coup protester displays defaced images of Commander in chief, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing in Mandalay, Myanmar, Wednesday, March 3, 2021. - Sputnik International, 1920, 10.03.2021
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Japan does not recognize Myanmar's new military government, despite referring to one of its officials as "foreign minister," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said Wednesday.

Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has referred to Wunna Maung Lwin as "foreign minister" several times during the past week. In a statement posted on Facebook on Monday, the Japanese Embassy in Yangon said Ambassador Ichiro Maruyama conveyed Tokyo's position on the Myanmar coup to "Foreign Minister" Wunna Maung Lwin in talks in the capital Naypyitaw earlier in the day which raised backlash. Social media users pleaded that the title is not to be used in reference to Wunna Maung Lwin.

"From the perspective of maintaining a dialogue with the Myanmar military, we have referred to Wunna Maung Lwin as foreign minister, but this does not at all mean that Japan approves the coup by the Myanmar military or its violence against demonstrators," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said, as quoted by the Kyodo news agency.

Motegi said that he was "not judging whether he is legitimate," in reference to Wunna Maung Lwin, who was tapped as foreign minister in place of Aung San Suu Kyi, the ousted civilian leader who doubles as Myanmar's top diplomat.

"We do not believe a new administration has been launched" in Myanmar following the military takeover, Motegi said.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Motegi also referred to the newly appointed top diplomat as a "foreign minister" while giving a briefing on his meeting with Maruyama the previous day.

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