A little over a week I ago, we left the government of Japan mulling over how to respond to anti-democracy violence in Myanmar in general, and specifically to the assassination of Japanese journalist Kenji Nagai:
The Japanese government has not yet decided what to do -- it's in the odd position of having very little it can refuse to send to Myanmar, as it's already limiting itself to purely humanitarian aid.
Now, the decision has come down to start cutting the humanitarian aid. Japan is canceling a $4.7 million grant that was meant to fund a business education center at Yangon University. This is a sound move, as it strikes at economic progress in Myanmar while limiting the degree to which loss of aid will directly impact the average citizen of that country on a day-to-day basis.
The official word of the Golden Land has nothing to say about this recent development, although it does tell us the inspiring and highly plausible story of people counterprotesting that recent disruption by the evil monks:
The people of Shan State (South) and Kayah State who wish to see stability of the State, the rule of law and community peace and tranquillity regarded recent protests instigated by some monks and NLD members as a threat to peace and stability . So they held mass rallies to denounce such protests on 13 and 14 October after seeking permission from the authorities concerned .
...while tempering that with news that good folks from all over are giving provisions to monasteries and nunneries. No word, yet, on what they're feeding the several thousand protesters who remain imprisoned.