RANGOON — In a rare interview with Japanese news agency NHK, Burma’s President urged infrastructure investment and indicated that he would consider seeking a second term as head of state.
The comments were made during Thein Sein’s visit to Tokyo to attend the 7th Mekong-Japan Summit.
“I hope Japan will invest actively to improve infrastructure and create jobs in our country,” Thein Sein told NHK, adding that he would consider a second term if that were the will of the people.
NHK World reported on Friday that “Thein Sein indicated that he will seek re-election.”
Burma’s state-run Global New Light of Myanmar provided a lighter take on Friday, reporting that “he placed more emphasis on peace and development than party politics,” and that he would “carry out everything he could for the national interests.”
Burma’s landmark general election is set to place in early November, the first nationwide poll since elections in 2010 that were boycotted by the opposition and largely considered fraudulent.
The newly elected Parliament will nominate a president to take office early next year.
President Thein Sein took office in 2011, and has since led a “reformist” administration through the subsequent transition from military rule to quasi-civilian leadership.
