A Japanese Foreign Ministry official told the Diet this week that Japan’s construction giant, Yokogawa Bridge Corp., will make further payments to the military-owned Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) for an aid project.

A report says the MEC generates vast revenue through businesses. MEC and Myanmar’s other military conglomerate are sanctioned by the US, United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, and Australia for their role in generating significant revenues that help fund military abuses.

Human Rights Watch claims that the Japanese government should suspend further payments to the MEC, stop all non-humanitarian aid to Myanmar’s junta, and impose targeted sanctions on its military leaders and military-owned conglomerates.