Tokyo wants on board; Hosoda seeks veto power

Japanese officials expressed support Tuesday for a U.N. panel's proposal to increase the number of permanent Security Council members to 11 from the current five, repeating Tokyo's bid to become one of them. Lawmakers expressed discontent, however, that new permanent members will not be granted veto power under the proposal. Japan "will strive to win other countries' support" for the proposal, Japanese Ambassador to the U.N. Koichi Haraguchi said in New York. Tokyo hopes the international community reaches a conclusion on U.N. reforms by the time of a U.N. General Assembly meeting next September, said a senior diplomat assigned to Japan's U.N. mission. The advisory panel to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan released a report on United Nations reform earlier Tuesday outlining two options for expanding the Security Council. The other proposal calls for establishing eight new seats, with member states serving out four-year terms that would be renewable -- without increasing the number of permanent members.