India, Japan press for UN Security Council expansion to make it more effective

TOKYO: Pressing for the urgent reform of the UN Security Council, India and Japan today decided to enhance bilateral efforts for the expansion of its membership to make the world body more effective and responsive to the realities of the 21st century.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe during their bilateral talks here called for concrete outcome in this direction by the 70th anniversary of the UN in 2015 and decided to enhance efforts bilaterally and under the G-4 to realise this.

The G4 nations comprising Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan support each other's bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.

"The two Prime Ministers affirmed the urgent need for comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council, especially its expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories, to make it more representative, legitimate, effective and responsive to the realities of the 21st century," a joint statement issued after the talks said.

In this regard, India and Japan decided to strengthen their bilateral cooperation and outreach with other member states.

They also highlighted the outcome of the third round of India-Japan consultations on UN issues held in Tokyo in July 2014.

Addressing a joint press briefing with Abe, Prime Minister Modi said the two nations are "intensifying cooperation" on UN reforms.