TOKYO -- Japan made it known that it hoped to take advantage of any momentum in reforming the U.N Security Council to secure a seat as a permanent member. The renewed attention to the issue comes in the wake of an announcement by U.N. General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann last month that he planned to press forward with reform of the Security Council. Although currently a rotating member until the end of 2010, permanent status has proved elusive for Tokyo. The Japanese government felt it was on to a winning formula during the last major round of reform discussions in 2005, when it joined with Brazil, Germany and India to put forward a joint candidacy, known as the P-4. Stanley Meisler, author of "The United Nations: The First Fifty Years," believes that was the wrong approach for Japan to follow.
Japan Renews Quest for Permanent UNSC Seat
