An international rights group has urged Japan to immediately halt its training for Myanmar military officers and cut ties with the junta, citing their alleged involvement in abuses in conflict areas of the coup-hit Southeast Asian country.

Human Rights Watch filed the demand in a press release recently as the Myanmar junta shows no signs of freeing civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratically elected officials detained in the military's February 2021 takeover of government.

"Myanmar graduates of Japan's military training program are serving in conflict areas where Myanmar military abuses are rampant," said Teppei Kasai, Asia Division program officer of the nongovernmental organization.