Japan looks for US support for Security Council seat

Japan’s foreign minister was today preparing for an eight-day trip to the US to push Tokyo’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, an issue which has ignited tensions with China.

Nobutaka Machimura was scheduled to meet with top UN officials, including secretary-general Kofi Annan, as well as representatives of member nations in New York to discuss UN reform and convey Japan’s desire to become a permanent member on the Security Council, Foreign Ministry officials said.