U.S., Myanmar junta hold further talks on scams and strategic minerals in Tokyo

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US-Myanmar talks in Tokyo

Highlights

U.S. and Myanmar junta officials held a second round of talks in Tokyo last week, led by U.S. assistant secretary Michael Vance with over a dozen U.S. officials present.
Discussions addressed scam compounds that have cost Americans billions and explored Myanmar's heavy rare earth deposits, despite most resources lying in ethnic or China-influenced areas.
Japan facilitates renewed engagement by hosting talks and meeting Myanmar's foreign minister, while about 300 Japanese companies continue operating in Myanmar despite ongoing instability.

Tokyo meeting extends renewed diplomatic channel

As reported by BusinessWorld, citing Reuters, U.S. and Myanmar's military-backed government officials meet in Tokyo last week for their second known talks in a month, according to people familiar with the matter. The discussions follow a mid-September meeting in Naypyitaw and reflect a broader U.S. effort to re-engage with Myanmar's generals on issues tied to U.S. interests.

Michael Vance, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research, again leads the talks, one person says, with more than a dozen U.S. officials taking part. It is not immediately clear who represents Myanmar at the Tokyo meeting, and neither the State Department nor a spokesperson for Myanmar's military-backed government comments publicly on the latest exchange.

The earlier Naypyitaw talks center on securing the release of an American businessman and shutting down scam compounds that target U.S. citizens. People familiar with the discussions say Washington is also exploring broader subjects, including Myanmar's heavy rare earth deposits, even though many of those resources are located in territory controlled by ethnic armed groups and China remains the main buyer.

Regional and commercial implications remain uncertain

A major element of the U.S. outreach is Myanmar's role in tackling scam operations that have cost Americans billions of dollars through romance and other fraud schemes. Researchers say many of the compounds operate in areas controlled by army-backed militias, raising questions over how far Myanmar's rulers are willing or able to enforce a crackdown despite saying they are taking part in a multinational effort.

The contacts also underline the commercial and geopolitical value of Myanmar's mineral reserves, particularly heavy rare earths used in electric vehicles and wind turbines. Analysts say the Trump administration is viewing Myanmar in increasingly transactional terms, with access to critical minerals emerging as a central strategic interest.

Japan's role remains less clear beyond hosting the talks, but Tokyo is also showing signs of renewed engagement with Myanmar. Japan's acting envoy recently meets Myanmar's foreign minister in their first known public contact, while lawmaker Hiromichi Watanabe says his September visit to Naypyitaw aims to help prepare the ground for normalized relations and renewed bilateral cooperation.

Japan condemns the 2021 overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government but stops short of joining U.S. sanctions on junta leaders and military-linked entities. Around 300 Japanese companies still operate in Myanmar, according to JETRO, down from more than 400 in 2020, highlighting both the persistence of Japanese business interests and the risks created by the country's prolonged civil war.

Our earlier coverage looked at China’s stance on rare earth exports to Europe, including continued approval of export licenses even as a U.S.-China deadline on a temporary truce approached. We also outlined how EU-China talks and tools like a proposed “green channel” reflect the growing political and commercial stakes of securing critical mineral supply flows amid trade frictions.

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