America continues its secret talks with Myanmar's rulers in Tokyo

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The United States and Myanmar's military-backed government held talks in Tokyo last week, their second meeting within a month, sources familiar with the matter said, at a time when Washington is intensifying efforts to reconnect with generals it ostracized after a coup in 2021.

Reuters previously reported that the previous talks that took place in Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar, in mid-September focused mainly on the release of an American businessman and the closure of fraud centers targeting Americans, but they may pave the way for broader discussions, including those that touch on rare earth mineral resources in Myanmar.

It is not yet clear what exactly the two sides discussed in last week's talks, which were revealed to Reuters by three informed sources.

The sources, including an American official, requested that their names not be revealed due to the sensitivity of the meeting.

Once again, Michael Vance, US Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research, led the Tokyo talks, in which more than 10 US officials participated, according to one of the sources. Reuters was unable to determine who represented Myanmar. The US State Department did not respond to a request for comment on the latest discussions, but confirmed that it is communicating with all parties in Myanmar on issues that affect US interests. A spokesman for Myanmar's military-backed government did not respond to a request for comment.

In response to a question about its role in hosting the talks, Japan's Foreign Ministry said in an email statement that it was "communicating as necessary" with both sides, but declined to comment on specific diplomatic dealings.

A meeting last month in Naypyidaw between Vance and Myanmar's coup leader and current president Min Aung Hlaing provided an opportunity for broader discussions, sources familiar with those talks told Reuters.

The quick return to the negotiating table in Tokyo indicates the keenness of both sides to continue the dialogue.

The sources said that one of the main axes of American efforts is to obtain Myanmar's assistance in closing centers operating love scams and other frauds that were able to seize billions of dollars from Americans.

US officials also discussed access to Myanmar's vast resources of heavy rare earth elements, which are used in various products, from electric cars to wind turbines.

US officials acknowledge that there are significant obstacles, as most of these resources are located in areas controlled by ethnic armed groups fighting the army. China, the main buyer of rare earth elements from Myanmar, may oppose any American role in this field.

Min Aung Hlaing remains subject to US sanctions for human rights violations, including his role in the military coup and the suppression of a popular uprising that followed, in addition to the mass killings and displacement targeting Rohingya Muslims in 2016 and 2017, events that Washington has classified as genocide.

According to the United Nations, the armed forces have killed thousands in air strikes since the coup, which sparked a widespread civil war.

Hunter Marston, director of Southeast Asia at the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank, said Japan's latest outreach shows the Trump administration views Myanmar through a "purely utilitarian lens."

He added, "The critical minerals and rare earth elements that Myanmar possesses are likely the most important strategic assets that Washington is interested in inside Myanmar."

It is unclear whether Japan has any interest in the US-Myanmar talks other than hosting, including previous talks in the capital in June, but there are signs that Tokyo is also moving to re-establish ways to communicate with Myanmar.