Japanese Filmmaker to Serve 7 Years in Myanmar Prison

Bangkok, Oct. 6 (Jiji Press)--Japanese documentary filmmaker Toru Kubota will serve seven years in prison in Myanmar after he was found guilty to two sets of charges, Myanmar military officials said Thursday. A Myanmar court on Wednesday sentenced Kubota to seven years for violating a law on electronic communications and three years for sedition. Kubota was detained in Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar, by security authorities on July 30 while filming a protest against the country's military junta, which took power in a coup. He is also being tried for an alleged immigration violation. Myanmar's military has said that Kubota entered the country on a tourist visa and was taking part in the protest. Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihiko Isozaki told a news conference in Tokyo Thursday that the country will continue to press Myanmar authorities to release Kubota at an early date. The Japanese government will continue to provide as much support as possible to Kubota, including help with communication with his family, Isozaki said. There are no particular problems with his health, he added. END