Japan seen elected UNSC nonpermanent member

14:27 JST, June 9, 2022

NEW YORK (Jiji Press) — Japan is seen as certain to be elected for an unprecedented 12th time as a nonpermanent member of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday.

Japan is the only candidate for a nonpermanent Security Council seat assigned to the Asia-Pacific region that will be contested in Thursday’s election.

If elected, Japan will serve as a nonpermanent member for two years beginning January 2023. The country is expected to face challenges to overcome deepening divisions in the council and help finalize negotiations on strengthening sanctions against North Korea.

Currently, the five permanent members are divided over North Korea’s recent missile launches, as well as the war in Ukraine.

In addition to Japan, Mozambique, Ecuador, Malta and Switzerland are candidates to replace five nonpermanent members whose terms will expire at the end of the year.

The Security Council, the only U.N. body that can make binding decisions on member states, is composed of the five permanent members—the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China—and 10 nonpermanent members.

In December 2017, just before Japan’s previous term as a nonpermanent member expired, the country announced its bid to become a nonpermanent member yet again, hoping to play a leading role in dealing with North Korea.