Japanese Brewery Kirin are on our ‘Dirty List’ of companies funding the Burmese military. They are in two joint ventures with the Burmese military, producing the best-selling beer in the country. The military is earning millions of dollars from the joint venture.
Under pressure from campaigners around the world, Kirin had already announced a review into their Burma operations, but in a big embarrassment for Kirin, the military, their own business partner, refused to co-operate. Now Kirin have appointed auditors Deloitte to look into the military-owned company they are in business with.
They are clearly feeling the pressure, but as our Director, Mark Farmaner, told the Financial Times: “There is no doubt that they are bowing to pressure from campaigns, but it looks like what they are doing is to find an excuse to stay in Burma and stay in business with the military.”
