Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi is to arrive in Japan Tuesday for an official five-day visit. Boosting bilateral trade and aid, and support for the Myanmar government's national reconciliation policy will feature on the agenda during the talks while she is there. This is the final leg in Ms Suu Kyi's recent strategic diplomatic offensive aimed at increasing foreign investment, trade relations and assistance with the peace process.
Ms Suu Kyi is also the foreign minister. This foray into the international arena, started in July with a visit to Laos -- then the chair of Asean. This was followed with visits to Thailand, China, the UK, the US and India. These trips signalled Myanmar's evenly calibrated foreign policy -- an independent and non-aligned approach, but with the neighbours and Asia, being at the centre.
"Aung San Suu Kyi's approach to the country's foreign relations is staunchly independent and nationalist," said a source close to the Myanmar leader who declined to be identified. "She refuses to be beholden to anyone -- either China or the US." Her visits so far have been strategically selected, and the order carefully crafted so as not to offend anyone, nor for any country to mistakenly believe they have a primary position in Myanmar's international outlook. Now it is Japan's turn.
Tokyo has been clamouring for some time for the Myanmar leader to visit, and dearly wanted to be one of the first stops on her international itinerary. But that would not have fitted with Ms Suu Kyi's "game plan". The big three -- China, the US and India -- had to be at the apex. Apart from that, she was irked by Japan's close relationship with the former government of president Thein Sein, and according to sources close to her, she had held that against them. But now it is time to bury the hatchet.
Apart from that there are significant benefits on offer from Tokyo that could significantly help the Myanmar government's strategy and plans for economic development and national reconciliation. Japan has already backed the peace process with substantial financial support, and has pledged further funds. Tokyo also appointed Yohei Sasakawa, as the Japanese government's special envoy to Myanmar's national reconciliation process in the early days of the peace process.
The Japanese government and Japanese businessmen have also invested heavily in Myanmar over the last five years, and are keen to boost this further. The official Japanese aid body, the Japan International Cooperation Agency has also been working on an urban development master plan for Yangon; and Tokyo has just recently hosted the city's regional chief minister, Phyo Min Thein on an extended visit to Japan.
"This trip is primarily about business," said a source close to the National League for Democracy Party leaders, on condition of anonymity. Some of Myanmar's leading businessmen are accompanying her, as well as the finance minster, Kyaw Win who visited Tokyo in late September to prepare for the State Counsellor's current trip.
The Japanese felt affronted by what they interpreted to be the cold shoulder from Myanmar's national government and have taken every opportunity since the NLD overwhelmingly won last year's elections to impress upon the party and the new government, that despite the closeness to Thein Sein, Tokyo did not back the previous regime, but supported the Myanmar people. The Japanese envoy, according to NLD sources, has been at pains to convince the party and the new government of Tokyo's good intentions. Japan has invited numerous NLD delegations since then, and put on a Japan-Myanmar cultural and commercial fair in Yangon earlier this year.
Japanese diplomats have hinted that the development plan for Myanmar is far broader than simply supporting the Thilawa special economic zone on the outskirts of Yangon. Tokyo is planning to make Myanmar the base for the Japanese automobile industry -- transferring production from Thailand and Vietnam to Myanmar. First Suzuki will manufacture motorbikes in Myanmar, and then Nissan and Toyota will move their operations across the border, according to informed Japanese sources.
Japanese officials are particularly coy on giving details of the aid package that is on the table. But according to informed sources in Tokyo, it is substantial and will be based around three broad objectives: improving the lives of the people and reducing poverty, especially in the ethnic areas; assistance for training and education that will help improve the skills, especially government officials involved in developing economic policy and implementing it; investing in infrastructure projects that will support sustainable development, including Thilawa. And of course continued support for the Myanmar government's national reconciliation programme.
During her trip to Japan, Ms Suu Kyi will meet the Myanmar community in Tokyo, give a lecture at Kyoto University, and meet the Japan-Myanmar parliamentary association. She will also meet the Japanese business community, including the powerful Keidanren -- the Japanese business federation. And of course she will have a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe which is being billed as a "summit". The details of the economic package are expected to be announced, after that meeting.
While this visit may prove to be a significant boon for Myanmar's economic development and the government's medium-term plans, it is unlikely to be the State Counsellor's last trip abroad this year. She is expected to visit some of the other Asean countries in the coming months, according to NLD sources.
Larry Jagan is a specialist on Myanmar and a former BBC World Service News Editor for the region.