Japan not entitled to apply for UNSC seat

Japan's U.N. Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa addresses on Feb. 23, 2015, during an open debate to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II at the U.N. Security Council in New York.

The Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Motohide Yoshikawa reiterated Japan's determination to secure a permanent Security Council seat on Monday, saying that it is his country's responsibility to become a UNSC member. The country's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last month expressed similar intentions. Comments:

Germany, India and Brazil are not making the best decision by jointly applying for UNSC seats with Japan. They are more likely to achieve their goal without Tokyo. Unlike Japan, they have no irreconcilable disputes with the five permanent UNSC members. Applying without Japan would be in their own interests and, more importantly, would really contribute to UN reforms in the future.

Hong Kong Commercial Daily, March 21

Knowing that Japan does not stand a chance of being a permanent UNSC member, Abe has resorted to hitching a ride on a group application for the sake of "UN reforms". Given the rightist tendency in the country, Japan is likely to relive its militarist past if it eventually acquires a UNSC seat.

Zhou Chengyang and Wang Hai, guest commentators with China Youth Daily, Sept 23, 2014

China is opposed to Japan's application for a UNSC seat on behalf of Asia, because that seat should belong to a major developing economy in the region. In addition, Japan has still not faced up to its war crimes, and thus it is not qualified to be a permanent UNSC member.

Chen Xiankui, a professor at Renmin University of China, Oct 17, 2014