Known worldwide as a prodemocracy icon, Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi showed herself to also be a capable and pragmatic politician during her weeklong visit to Japan as she sought backing for her country's political and economic development.
In her first visit to Japan in 27 years, Suu Kyi filled her tight schedule with meetings with prominent people to seek the "right assistance" to genuinely benefit the people of Myanmar, including poor rural farmers and young people in need of jobs.
"It is not enough to say any aid is welcomed. It is not enough to think that the more you get the better," Suu Kyi told a news conference, apparently referring to the senior officials of the previous military government who drew criticism for fattening their pockets with foreign aid.