There are more than 10,000 Burmese living in Japan, with a significant community in Tokyo. However, Japan's policy towards Burma has traditionally been one of engagement with the belief that aid incentives can bring about a change in thinking by the military regime. Traditionally Japan has also not been at the forefront of accepting refugees from around the world - only a handful of asylum seekers each year are accepted from Burma. With a new government re-thinking it's policy towards Burma it seems their views on dealing with the regime are starting to change and from 2010 onwards they will accept 30 asylum seekers per year from Burma.

February 2010 and former political prisoners now living in Japan come together to demand the release of their colleagues detained in Burma's notorious prisons.

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