Construction is underway on a massive Buddha statue in the capital, Naypyitaw, in an apparent bid by the junta to win the hearts and minds of the nation's religious majority, Nikkei Asia reported.

The sitting statue will stand roughly 19 meters tall when completed next year, making it the world's largest marble Buddha.

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the junta chief, attended a ceremony for the statue in late April. He was joined by other military figures and members of the State Administration Council. The monument will serve as a place of prayer for national peace and stability, according to state media.