Added to the Dirty List 11 December 2018
Removed from the Dirty List 5 February 2021
Kirin was removed from the Dirty List after they announced they would end their relationship with the military.
Burma Campaign UK statement is here.
Background
Kirin is a Japanese beverages company. In Burma it is in a joint venture, Myanmar Breweries, with the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings, which is controlled by and for the benefit of the military. They are also in a joint venture with the military owned Mandalay Brewery. This subsidiary has also donated money to the Burmese military. In the UK, Kirin own the craft brewery Fourpure.
Contact:
Yoshinori Isozaki
President and CEO
NAKANO CENTRAL PARK SOUTH
10-2, Nakano 4-chome
Nakano-ku
Tokyo 164-0001
Japan
Sources:
Amnesty International 14th June 2018: Japan: Investigate brewer Kirin over payment to Myanmar military amid ethnic cleansing of Rohingya
Myanmar Times 15th February 2107: Kirin: joint venture but not ‘buying’ Mandalay Brewery
https://www.mmtimes.com/business/24963-kirin-joint-venture-but-not-buying-mandalay-brewery.html
Kirin Holdings website accessed November 2018
https://www.kirinholdings.co.jp/english/company/organization/
Australia’s Lion acquires London’s Fourpure Brewing – 10th July 2018 – thedrinksbusiness.com
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2018/07/australias-lion-acquires-londons-fourpure-brewing/
Notified 30th November 2018
Added to the Dirty List 11 December 2018
Update November 2020
Kirin announces that it is suspending dividend payments from their joint ventures with the military due to “lack of visibility”.
Press Release from Justice for Myanmar:
Justice For Myanmar welcomes Kirin Holdings’ suspension of dividends from their Myanmar military joint ventures
Update January 2021
Kirin announces the investigation into how the military uses its proceeds from the joint venture is ‘inconclusive’. Read the statement here.
Read Burma Campaign UK’s response here.
Update 5 February 2021
Kirin announce they will end their relationship with the military.