Japan’s KDDI to open an office in Myanmar, marking its 100th site overseas

Japan’s KDDI is the latest international telecoms company to jump into Myanmar after it announced that it will set up an office in the country, which has notably relaxed its political and social restrictions over the last six months.

Myanmar’s journey away from isolation has opened up opportunities and telecoms is one of them. IDC call it an “unpolished gem” with much potential for IT, telecoms and tech, and a bevvy of international firms have since flocked into the country, which has a population of almost 50 million.

KDDI Myanmar, as the overseas affiliate company is tentatively named, has been jointly established by KDDI Japan and its subsidiary in Singapore and will becomes the company’s one hundredth overseas site. KDDI runs a range of services, including a mobile operator business in Japan, but its remit in Myanmar (know also as Burma) is strictly for serving businesses.

The company explains that it is aiming to provide “Japanese-quality” network and infrastructure support services for companies in the country, which include Coca-Cola and WPP:

Although Myanmar is experiencing a rapid move toward democracy and a growing influx of foreign companies, there is currently a lack of offices that are adequately equipped for business. KDDI Myanmar will operate the “KDDI Myanmar Business Center” in the center of Myanmar’s largest city of Yangon, providing office space with IT infrastructure and maintenance/operation services to support rapid business launches in Myanmar.

The 💜 of EU tech

The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!

KDDI isn’t the only one entering Myanmar with that aim. Fellow Japanese firm NTT Com became the first telecom firm to arrive in the country when it made the move in October, and it is offering similar infrastructure and IT services.

Myanmar has already attracted the attention of one notorious tech firm, German incubator Rocket Internet, which launched three Web services there in July.

Image via isarescheewin / Shutterstock