Japan's Inclusion in Un Security Council

The inception of the United Nations in 1945 provided a global forum for nations to work cooperatively and improve the world as a whole. What was initially a group of 51 nations, the UN has grown to include over 190 countries which form five main councils in addition to the general assembly (United Nations Organizational Chart) (United Nations member States - Growth in United Nations membership, 1945-present). However, even as the UN has increased its membership from the original 51 countries to its current 192 countries, the Security Council has remained the same with only five permanent members who are endowed with veto-powers (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2). This concentration of power in the organization has evolved discontentment among the member nation and are constantly striving for a reform of the Security Council; the most notable of these nations are the G4. The G4 is a group of nations consisting of Japan, Brazil, India, and Germany; all of whom have been lobbying for permanent seats on the Security Council (G4 Nations Bid for Permanent Security Council Seat). Japan, for its part, has presented an array of arguments to defend its case for being a permanent member including the out-datedness of the current Security Council, its current body of work in the Security Council and UN in general, and also Japan’s efforts in promoting the agenda of the Security Council with much rigor.
One of the primary arguments that Japan has presented to further its cause of attaining a permanent seat on the UN Security Council is the out-dated format that the Security Council currently has. The current hierarchy of the organization represents the global distribution of power in 1945 when World War II ended, but since then the world has changed significantly and the UN has to adapt to the changing times in order to be more effective. For instance, in the current state of affairs in the world, most conflicts originate in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia; but all the...