MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd May, 2022) US President Joe Biden has endorsed the idea of reforming the UN Security Council and accepting Japan as a permanent member, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday.
"I expressed the necessity to reform and strengthen the United Nations, including the Security Council, which bears an important responsibility for the peace and security of the international community and gained President Biden's support. The President stated that the United States will support Japan becoming a permanent member of a reformed Security Council," Kishida said at the joint press with Biden after bilateral talks in Tokyo.
Biden arrived in Tokyo on Sunday to meet with his Japanese counterpart and take part in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) summit � an informal strategic dialogue between the United States, Japan, Australia and India - which will gather on Tuesday. Earlier on Monday, Biden met with Emperor Naruhito and attended the welcome ceremony at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo.
Expanding membership in the UN Security Council, which now includes five permanent and 10 non-permanent seats, has been on the agenda of the stalled UN reform for decades, with no tangible progress achieved. Japan, as the third largest contributor to the UN, is a member of the G4 nations alongside Brazil, Germany and India, which are supporting each other bids for the permanent membership and suggesting options for a more inclusive and effective UN Security Council.
