缅甸总统出访日本寻求援助

Burmese President Thein Sein has arrived in Japan for a five-day visit expected to focus on financial aid and debt relief.

缅甸总统登盛已抵达日本，开始为期五天的访问，希望藉此行获得财政援助与债务减免。

President Thein Sein became Burma\s leader after elections in November 2010
His visit, the first to Japan by a Burmese leader in 28 years, comes as EU nations prepare to ease sanctions.

Reports said Japan was planning to resume loans to Burma.

Thein Sein's administration has embarked¹ on a process of reform since it came to power in November 2010, ending decades of military rule.

The military-backed nominally² civilian³ government has freed political prisoners and made concessions⁴（让步，优惠） that have brought pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party back into the political process.

Earlier this month, her party won 43 out of the 45 seats it contested in by-elections, with Ms Suu Kyi winning a seat in parliament.

'Bold leap'

During his visit, Thein Sein will hold talks with Japanese leader Yoshihiko Noda. Officials say they will discuss a solution to Burma's debt to Japan, its biggest creditor⁵.

This, reports the BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo, would open the way for Japan to resume financing much-needed infrastructure⁶. Japanese companies are also keen to invest in Burma, which is rich in resources.

On Thursday diplomats⁷ in Brussels told the BBC they expected a "big chunk⁸" of current EU sanctions against Burma to be suspended when foreign ministers met in Luxemburg on Monday.

According to the sources, the travel ban and asset freeze for many government officials would end. Only the arms embargo⁹ would stay in place, they said.

Aid and development money would be allowed into the country, as would investment into key parts of the economy.

The US and Australia have already eased some sanctions on Burma following the political reforms. On Thursday US Senator Jim Webb said the US should go further to reward Thein Sein's "bold leap" on reform.

"In all of these situations there's a moment in time you have to take advantage of," the senator told the Associated Press news agency. "We should have some protections in there, but we should move forward on trade."

Parliament is due to reconvene（再聚会） in Burma on Monday. Despite the recent poll victory of Ms Suu Kyi's party, it remains¹⁰ heavily dominated by the military-backed ruling party.

A quarter of the seats are also reserved for the military.