Kyodo News Agency opened its first branch in Yangon on Tuesday after signing a memorandum of understanding with the News and Periodicals Enterprise of Myanmar’s Ministry of Information, state media reported on Wednesday.
Kyodo becomes the third wire service to open in the country, joining Japanese rival NHK and US-based Associated Press which both launched operations earlier this month.
Four private daily newspapers have gone to print after being granted licenses to launch on April 1.
Twelve other companies, including Mizzima News Group, have also been issued licenses to publish daily newspapers, several of which are expected to launch in the coming weeks and months.
There are also six state-owned newspapers published daily in Myanmar: Myanmar Alin (Myanmar language) and its sister publication, The New Light of Myanmar (English language), Kyemon (The Mirror), Myawaddy, and Yadanarpon, in addition to over 200 private-run weekly news journals in Myanmar, English and Chinese languages as well as over 200 magazines and nearly 7,000 private publishers.
