Japan’s foreign policy to be tested by China, Russia as non-permanent UN Security Council member

Fumio Kishida is expected to use Japan’s new role on the UN Security Council, and as host of a G7 summit, to push his foreign policy agenda

But his ambitions may be frustrated, an analyst said, in the face of resistance from regional rivals and mounting domestic political challenges

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Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has outlined plans for Tokyo to take advantage of its UN Security Council role and presidency of the G7 to promote his foreign policy initiatives. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 12:06pm, 4 Jan 2023Updated: 1:25pm, 4 Jan 2023

Japan’s long-held ambition of reforming and expanding the United Nations Security Council looks set to be thwarted as it occupies a non-permanent seat over the next two years, though analysts said it would give Prime Minister Fumio Kishida the chance to “weigh in” on issues such as Taiwan.

In his New Year’s address, Kishida outlined plans for Tokyo to take advantage of its new non-permanent UN Security Council seat – and its hosting of the G7 summit in May – to promote key foreign policy initiatives.

He said Tokyo would “reject attempts to change the status quo by force” and work to counter “nuclear threats”, without specifying where from, as Japan “faces the most severe security situation” since the end of World War II.

Tokyo has long wanted to see the UN Security Council expanded to include more members. Photo: Shuttestock

Kishida in his address castigated Russia for its attacks on Ukraine and accused Moscow of “attempting to break the international order” – an accusation Tokyo previously levelled at China for its actions in the Asia-Pacific region.

He also said Japan would continue to promote reform of the UN Security Council, which critics charge is effectively paralysed by a structure that grants veto power to one of the five permanent members: Russia, China, the US, Britain and France.

Japan took over one of the council’s 10 non-permanent seats, held for two-year terms, on January 1. It was last on the council in 2016.

Akitoshi Miyashita, a professor of international relations at Tokyo International University, said Japan “faced opposition from China and Russia” when it last suggested enlarging the council to include itself, as well as other potential members such as India, Germany and a representative from the African Union.

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