
Young people became interested through anime, and the population has a more straightforward interest in Japan compared with some Japanophiles in the West, who become obsessed with narrower aspects of the culture.” “In 2011, following the transition from military to democratic rule, Japan boosted its investment and presence, leading to increased enthusiasm for Japanese studies in Myanmar. Its director Satō Kōji describes the present Japan boom. The Japan Foundation established a new cultural center in Yangon in 2019 to meet increased demand.

The number of people sitting the Japanese Language Proficiency Test is increasing at a rate of 50% annually, with Myanmar now placed fifth worldwide in number of examinees, after China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Yangon alone has over 300 Japanese language schools. There has been a sudden surge in people learning Japanese due to their interest in anime and other aspects of the country’s culture.
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The most popular are lessons in how to wear yukata, with reservations filling up in no time. The Japan Foundation organizes events and classes in Yangon. The people of Myanmar have an appetite for Japanese culture. Event organizers were surprised at the popularity, with over 20,000 attending, double the numbers from last year. It screened recent Japanese films including an entry in the Chihayafuru series, Her Love Boils Bathwater, Honnōji Hotel, and the hit anime In This Corner of the World. In January and February 2019, a Japanese film festival was held in Yangon, Myanmar’s commercial capital, and Mandalay, its cultural capital. The pro-Japan sentiment of the Burmese people receives little attention. But coverage of Myanmar in the Japanese media mainly relates to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and the Rohingya crisis. Now, the two countries are linked with daily direct flights, and there is much interest in investment by Japanese companies. But in fact, Japan has positive relations overall with the great majority of countries.Īmong these countries, one that stands out in particular for me is Myanmar, which I was recently able to visit.

Due to its proximity to China and the Korean Peninsula, it is easy to gain an impression of anti-Japan sentiment, resulting from historical and territorial issues. Japan enjoys favorable relations with many countries worldwide.
