The national coordination committees of PSI affiliates in Japan and Korea have taken direct action — writing to Japan’s KDDI Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, KDDI Labour Union, Sumitomo Corporation Labour Union and South Korea's National Pension Service — to demand divestment from companies financially supporting Myanmar’s military regime. The regime has systematically dismantled labour rights since seizing power in February 2021. 

These actions are part of PSI's global campaign calling on trade unions and pension fund members to send a letter to their pension trustees demanding an immediate review of investment portfolios. There is serious concern that workers' retirement savings may be exposed to publicly traded companies — including POSCO, KDDI, Sumitomo, PTT/PTTEP, GAIL, ONGC, BEL, Sinotruk and AviChina — that provide funds, arms or technology linked to Myanmar's military authorities. The coordinated global campaign is using the tools of international solidarity and economic accountability to defend the rights of Myanmar's workers. 

Background: ILO Invokes Article 33 

In June 2025, the International Labour Conference unanimously imposed sanctions against the Myanmar military regime under Article 33 of the ILO Constitution — the highest level of action available to the organisation. The measure was taken in response to the regime's persistent violations of the Freedom of Association and Forced Labour Conventions. The ILO's decision marked a critical turning point, confirming that the international community could no longer ignore the scale of repression faced by workers and trade unions in Myanmar. 

The International Labour Conference, occurring this week, will hold a special session on Myanmar and consider the implementation of Article 33, including the financing of the military. 

Following the ILO’s sanctions, PSI launched a campaign urging pension funds worldwide to divest from companies that have financially supported the military regime through joint ventures and other means since the 2021 coup. The target companies have been identified by Justice for Myanmar and are listed in PSI's model union letter to pension funds: PSI Model Union Letter to Pension Funds 

PSI Japan Council Writes to KDDI Labour Union 

On 7 May 2026, PSI Japan Council (PSI-JC) — the national coordination committee of PSI affiliates in Japan — wrote to the KDDI Corporation, the Sumitomo Corporation, the KDDI Labour Union and the Sumitomo Corporation Labour Union. The KDDI Corporation, in partnership with Sumitomo Corporation, has long supported the telecommunications operations of Myanmar Post and Telecommunications (MPT), a state-owned enterprise. 

PSI-JC's letter to the KDDI Labour Union noted that the telecommunications network operated with KDDI's support is being used by the military regime as a tool for surveillance and information control. While acknowledging KDDI Corporation's April 2025 announcement scaling back the scope of its support in Myanmar as a positive step, PSI-JC called for a concrete roadmap for further scaling back and eventual withdrawal, contingent on improvements in the human rights situation on the ground. 

PSI-JC made three specific requests in the letter: 

• To raise the issue at management council meetings and request the company explain the implementation of human rights due diligence in Myanmar and progress on considering a withdrawal.  

• To inform union members about the realities faced by workers in Myanmar and the risks associated with the company's operations.  

• To strengthen international solidarity with PSI-JC and other international labour organisations in support of democratisation and the restoration of labour rights in Myanmar. 

Meeting with KDDI Labour Union Leadership 

On 11 May, a PSI-JC delegation led by Chair Chihiro Ishigami — also President of Jichiro — visited the KDDI Labour Union Central Headquarters to hand over the letter in person. The KDDI Labour Union was represented by Chairperson Sanae Ura and Secretary-General Ito. 

Chairperson Ura stated that KDDI fully understands the human rights issues surrounding its operations in Myanmar. She noted, however, that KDDI is not in a position to directly ascertain the extent of MPT's involvement in communications blackouts imposed by the military regime, and that telecommunications represent a lifeline — meaning that withdrawal could itself constitute a serious human rights violation by rendering the telecommunications system unsustainable. Secretary-General Ito added that while the company is aware it must prevent further human rights escalation, an immediate withdrawal is not straightforward. 

Chairperson Ura concluded by confirming that the Federation of Information and Communication Technology Service Workers — the umbrella federation to which the KDDI Labour Union is affiliated — views the situations in Myanmar, Ukraine and Gaza as human rights issues for the entire industry sector, and is communicating these matters to its members. She committed to continuing to respond in collaboration with other industry sectors and PSI-JC. 

"Workers in Japan stand in solidarity with the workers and people of Myanmar. As trade unionists, we have a responsibility to ensure that the companies we work for and the funds that hold our savings do not support a regime that has dismantled labour rights and used violence against its own people,” said PSI-JC Chair Chihiro Ishigami. 

PSI JC’s letter in Japanese 

PSI JC’s letter in English 

PSI Korea Council Writes to National Pension Service 

On 10 February 2026, PSI Korea Council (PSI-KC) — comprising the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU) and the Korean Health and Medical Workers Union (KHMU) — wrote to the Chairman and CEO of the National Pension Service (NPS), South Korea's public pension fund, calling for divestment from POSCO, one of the companies identified as having provided financial support to the Myanmar military regime. 

PSI-KC's letter noted that the support provided by such companies since the 2021 coup has enabled the regime to procure weapons targeting workers and civilians. In line with the ILO's Article 33 decision and PSI's global campaign, PSI-KC urged the NPS to promptly decide to withdraw its investment from POSCO. 

PSI KC’s letter in Korean 

PSI KC’s letter in English 

A Coordinated Regional Campaign 

The actions by PSI-JC and PSI-KC represent a coordinated effort to translate the ILO's historic Article 33 decision into concrete economic and political pressure on the Myanmar military regime.  

PSI urges its international affiliates to join the campaign and demand that their pension funds divest from companies enabling Myanmar's military junta. 

To learn more about PSI’s campaign, click here. 

For the modal letter to be sent by unions to their pension funds, click here. 

For more information about Justice for Myanmar and their latest initiatives, click here.