US Holds Second Round of Secret Myanmar Talks in Tokyo — SkimNews
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- US officials held a second round of secret talks with Myanmar's military-backed government in Tokyo last week, led by Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Michael Vance with more than a dozen US officials taking part.
- The September Naypyitaw meeting focused on securing the release of an American businessman and shutting down scam centers that have swindled Americans out of billions, but researchers say some proceeds flow to Myanmar's military, raising doubts about enforcement.
- US officials are also discussing access to Myanmar's heavy rare earth deposits used in EVs and wind turbines — but acknowledge the deposits sit in territory controlled by ethnic armed groups fighting the military, and China, the main current buyer, could balk at a US role.
- The US last week lifted sanctions on the daughter of a Myanmar businessman accused of supporting the military, part of a new approach to 'pursue dialogue with all groups involved in Burma's civil war.'
- Min Aung Hlaing remains under US sanctions for human rights abuses, including the 2016-17 Rohingya killings that Washington declared a genocide, while the military has killed thousands in airstrikes since the 2021 coup.
- Japan's role hosting the talks is unclear, but Tokyo is also re-engaging: its acting envoy met Myanmar's foreign minister this month, and roughly 300 Japanese companies still operate there, down from 400+ in 2020.
Why it matters: The Trump administration is pursuing transactional engagement with Myanmar's sanctioned junta primarily for rare earths and scam center cooperation — bypassing the Rohingya genocide designation still on Min Aung Hlaing. The quick pivot from Naypyitaw to Tokyo signals both sides want momentum, but Myanmar's rare earths sit in ethnic-army-held zones and China could resist losing buyer status. Japan, hosting while quietly restarting its own ties, gives the talks diplomatic cover.
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