TOKYO -- Roughly eight months since the civilian government was forced out of power in Myanmar, the Southeast Asian country is on the brink of a full-scale civil war as the military cracks down on peaceful protests and the parallel National Unity Government -- formed in exile by democratically elected leaders -- calls for open revolt.
The death toll from military airstrikes and targeted burnings is now growing even among noncombatants. The international community, and in particular Japan, must step up its efforts to prevent the crisis from escalating any further.
