Japan says it did not ask for Myanmar's removal from FATF blacklist
Tokyo disputes claims it lobbied for the change after Myanmar remained on the list during an October meeting in Paris.
By Oliver Bennett ·
Japan’s Ministry of Finance stated there is no fact that its government sought to have Myanmar removed from the Financial Action Task Force blacklist. The ministry issued this denial on Wednesday, responding to reports that surfaced last week.
Reuters reported on October 30 that Japan was pushing for the removal of the Southeast Asian nation. That account relied on comments from a senior Japanese government official and another person familiar with the matter. The ministry clarified that Japan did not state its desire for removal during the closed-door meeting of the 40-member body held in Paris that same day. As a result, Myanmar remained on the list.
The ministry told Reuters, “There is no fact that the Japanese government sought to have Myanmar removed from the FATF blacklist.” It added that Japan hopes Myanmar will make the necessary improvements to strengthen its measures against money laundering and related illicit activities.
Myanmar was added to the FATF blacklist in 2022 after a military coup plunged the country into turmoil and civil war. The designation requires countries to apply enhanced screening to financial transactions with Myanmar to avoid money laundering and terrorist financing.
A spokesperson for Myanmar’s military-backed government said in a message on Saturday that various “friendly countries” were supporting its efforts to be removed from the list. The spokesperson named the United States, China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Indonesia as recognizing Myanmar’s efforts. “We are grateful to all of them for acknowledging Myanmar’s current progress,” the spokesperson said.
South Korea’s foreign ministry said it is “encouraging Myanmar to abide by FATF duties, and closely coordinating with FATF member countries on the issue.” The ministry noted that the government is making efforts to strengthen the capabilities of countries that have not fully implemented FATF standards. The other countries named by the Myanmar spokesperson either declined to comment or did not respond to a request for comment.
One of the sources who told Reuters that Japan was pushing for removal said on Thursday that they stood by their comments. The other source could not be immediately reached for comment. Myanmar’s military-backed government did not immediately have comment on Japan’s denial.
