Tokyo-based East Japan Railway Co (JR East) said it will help develop Myanmar’s ramshackle railway sector by sharing technical knowledge on railway management and transportation with state-run Myanma Railways (MR).
JR East executive vice president Yuji Fukasawa pledged the cooperation during his meeting with minister for rail transportation U Than Htay in Nay Pyi Taw.
JR East, a major passenger railway company in Japan and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies, also offered to donate locomotive and coaches to Myanmar as part of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme.
In June, Japan provided Myanmar with over 51-billion-yen [$1 = ¥99.1] ODA loan, of which ¥17 billion is to be used for construction and renovation of infrastructure while ¥20 billion for development of infrastructure in Thilawa Special Economic Zone and ¥14.05 billion for upgrading power grid project and power stations in Yangon.
In October, Japan provided ¥5.4 billion more for various projects in Myanmar such as developing ICT system, building weather monitoring system, and toward TV programmes and broadcast editing equipment for Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV).
JR East has 73,000 employees and its revenue in 2013 stood at ¥2.6 trillion ($26.9 billion).
