The argument that Burma does not need outside help because it is a self-reliant country, and therefore international sanctions would have limited effect, fails to hold water.

The recent briefing by Ibrahim Gambari, the UN under-secretary-general for political affairs, referred to the worsening economic situation inside the country. The international community should stand firm and act together in a concerted effort to bring about positive change there.

Japan has been rather inconsistent, even erratic, when it comes to its foreign policy in Southeast Asia. In areas one would expect Japan to behave like a respectable member of the international community, such as in Burma, Tokyo simply fails to deliver. The Japanese foreign ministry naively believes that the only way to crack Burma while maintaining its influence is to continue humanitarian and development aid at all costs while lecturing its leaders on the merits of sound economic management.

Japan seems to fear that what little influence it does exert on Burma would disappear altogether if it were too assertive. China and India have both gained strong footholds there - two Asian giants guarding a rogue regime. Japan is entrenched in the country and seems willing to comply with the junta leaders, at least to maintain its minuscule influence. The junta leaders have thus far played their cards very effectively, pitting one power against another.

As current president of the Security Council, Japan has an important role to play in pushing this issue forward. But the views expressed by the Japanese envoy to the UN, Kenzo Oshima, do not sound at all optimistic. The council must involve itself more with the situation in Burma, because that country is increasingly becoming a threat to international peace and stability.

Thailand knows this threat very well. But Bangkok has so far kept its own mouth shut, because the current caretaker government backs the regime via Thaksin Shinawatra's tangled web of businesses. With China, India and Thailand all colluding with Burma, the real issues are being obscured and international pressure on Burma undermined.

In more ways than one, Japan wants to be perceived as having a moderate policy towards Burma, rather than identifying itself with most Asean members or the West. So far, the junta has exploited Japan's historical guilt (as other countries have done with Japan) over its occupation of Burma during World War II. The legacy of Japan's wartime record continues to have a strong bearing on Japanese foreign policy today. A lack of domestic pressure groups for Burmese issues in Japan allows government policy to proceed unchallenged. Australia, which used to be similarly soft towards Burma, is toughening its position. Canberra's past efforts to raise awareness on rights have never panned out.

Indeed, Japan is missing a great opportunity to demonstrate its diplomatic finesse by aligning its own position with Asean's, or at least identifying itself with Asean's ongoing efforts to pressure Burma into reforming and opening up. It is very odd indeed to see Japan sharing the same vision of Burma with China, because Japan is a great democratic country with ambitions of playing a greater international role.

Indeed, Tokyo's position could never score many points with Burma, anyway. After all, Burma prefers China to Japan, probably because they speak the same language when it comes to dealing with their people. In the short run, Japan's accommodation of Rangoon could put it in the awkward position of opposing Asean, as the group ratchets up its pressure on Burma.