Welcome to Mekong Watch

Mekong Watch is a Japanese NGO based in Tokyo. We combine research and advocacy to address and prevent the negative environmental and social impacts of development in the Mekong Region. We are especially concerned about the lack of consultation with affected communities in development planning and implementation and the role Japanese financing. By contacting communities directly, we try to bridge the information and communication gaps between them and decision-makers in Japan.

What's New!

• 【Statement】 JBIC and Private Banks Must Reconsider Decision to Finance LNG Canada Project - CSOs Strongly Condemn JBIC's Decision Just before COP 26 to Provide Public Finance That Ignores Climate Crisis and Rights of Indigenous Peoples(November 10, 2021)
  
• 【Statement】 Towards a swift and just end to coal: A statement of civil society and communities in Asia-Pacific urging the Asian Development Bank not to gamble with our climate plight with a premature coal buy-out scheme(November 1, 2021)
  
• 【Statement】 JBIC and Private Banks Must Reconsider Decision to Finance LNG Canada Project - NGOs Strongly Condemn JBIC's Decision to Provide Public Finance That Ignores Climate Crisis and Rights of Indigenous Peoples Ahead of COP 26(October 29, 2021)
  
• 【Letter of Request】 KDDI Group and Sumitomo Corporation: Do not facilitate human rights abuses by Burma's illegitimate regime(October 18, 2021)
  
• 【Letter of Request】 Letter to ADB Board of Directors regarding upcoming vote on the ADB's 2021 Energy Policy (R-paper)(October 18, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】 NGOs urge Tokio Marine to further strengthen its fossil fuel policy to achieve the goals of Paris Agreement(September 30, 2021)
  
• 【Letter of Request】 Do Not Finance LNG Canada Project and Withdraw from Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project(Sep 22, 2021)
  Attended to Mizuho Bank
  Attended to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
  Attended to MUFG Bank
  
• 【Request to METI】 Urgent measures requested to ensure funds from the Yetagun natural gas project do not flow to the Myanmar military(Sep 15, 2021)
  
• 【Briefing Paper】 Yetagun: The Japanese Government’s Involvement in Natural Gas Development in Myanmar(Sep 15, 2021)
  
• 【Letter of Request】 NGOs call on JICA to stop funding Matarbari coal-fired power project in Bangladesh in reaction to injunction by Dhaka High Court(Sep 13, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】 NGOs urge the Japanese government to take international leadership in the OECD negotiations towards the complete end of public support for coal projects(Sep 9, 2021)
  
• 【Letter of Request】 (Attn: Governor of Japan Bank for International Cooperation-JBIC) Do Not Finance LNG Canada Project(Aug 6, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】 Japan: Stop Real Estate Project in Myanmar - Commercial Dealings with Abusive Military Undermines Rights(July 15, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】 NGOs Strongly Condemn Decision by Japan Bank for International Cooperation to Support Waitsia 2 Gas Development Project in Australia(July 1, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】 Mitsubishi Corporation should withdraw from EPC for Vietnam’s Quang Trach 1 Coal-fired Power Plant(June 30, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】 Japan must not be allowed to violate the G7 Leaders' Statement -Supporting new Coal Plants in Indonesia and Bangladesh goes against the Agreement-(June 29, 2021)
  
• 【Press Release】 Japanese Insurer MS&AD Completely Stops Underwriting Coal Power ~Tokio Marine and SOMPO's responses are called into question~(June 25, 2021)
  
• 【Press Release】 Bondholders challenged JICA to Stop Supporting Coal Projects in Bangladesh and Indonesia(June 24, 2021)
  
• 【Press Release】143 Organizations from more than 30 countries call on the 3 Japanese megabanks to end fossil fuel finance(June 22, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】NGOs call on Japan to end overseas public finance for fossil fuels including Indramayu and Matarbari 2 coal plants, at G7 Summit(June 7, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Petition】Japan Must Review All Economic Cooperation Projects in Myanmar(June 1, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】Mizuho's Revised Policy Tightens Approach to Climate Risk But Still Far from Meeting Paris Agreement Goals(May 14, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】Loopholes Remain in SMBC Group's New Coal Policy ~ Japan's Megabank Still Not Aligned with the Paris Agreement ~(May 12, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】Sumitomo Corporation's new coal policy still includes major loopholes -NGOs urge Sumitomo Corporation not to participate in the EPC bidding for Matarbari Units 3 and 4-(May 10, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】Mitsubishi UFJ tightens its financing for coal-fired power, but it’s still not aligned with Japan’s 2050 Net-zero Emissions target(April 27, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】Japan lags behind South Korea in overseas coal financing at the Leaders Summit on Climate(April 23, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Statement】NGOs welcome the U.S.-Japan announcement to align Official Financing with the Net-zero Emissions by 2050, but Japan needs to withdraw support from two coal projects(April 19, 2021)
  
• 【Joint Press Statement】NGOs call on President Biden and Prime Minister Suga to take strong leadership on ending public support for coal, oil and gas at the U.S.-Japan Summit(April 5, 2021)
  
• 【Press Release】2021.04.01 Demonstration for Peace and Democracy in Myanmar We demand concrete action by the Japanese government to stop the Myanmar military's violence.(April 1, 2021)
  
• 【Press Release】NGOs call on 39 JICA Bond Underwriters and Bondholders to urge JICA to Stop Supporting Coal Projects in Bangladesh and Indonesia(March 25, 2021)
  >>Letter to JICA Bond Underwriters and Bondholders: A Request to Engage with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to Stop Supporting Coal Projects in Bangladesh and Indonesia
  
• 【Petition】Urgent call for an investigation into the connection between Japan's public funds and businesses linked to the Myanmar military
  Japanese civil society organizations demand that funding sources to the military be severed (March 4, 2021) >> In Brumese
  
• 【Joint Letter】Submission by Civil Society Organizations concerning Japanese Business Entities Operating in Myanmar (February 17, 2021)
  
• 【Press Release】Five major insurers and asset managers say they are doing engagement with Mitsubishi Corporation - NGOs call for greater efforts to make Mitsubishi Corp. withdraw from new coal-fired power plant project in Vietnam (February 2, 2021)
  【Statement】Strong concern regarding the Myanmar military’s declaration of a state of emergency The Japanese government must do more for true democratization in Myanmar (February 1, 2021)
  

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