A senior White House official assured Japan on Friday that President George W. Bush supports Japan's bid to become a permanent U.N. Security Council member, Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Ichiro Aisawa said.

At a news conference concluding his four-day visit to the United States, Aisawa said U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley told him earlier in the day that not only the State Department, but also the entire U.S. administration and Bush himself support the Japanese bid. (Kyodo News)

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=9&id=311833

Hhhhmmm.... If I am correct, I remember learning in my history class that Japan didn't want to join the UN... and now they do?

I guess it has to do with more right-wingers coming into power in Japan, who wants to start making decisions for themselves and pursue their own strategic interests instead of being so blind and obedient to the United States as they have done so in the post WW-II years. Japan has developed into a formidable power, the Americans, and nobody else can hold them down forever. They're grown up and now it's time to move out of the house.

Oh there is indeed someone. It is actually more accurate to say nearly two billion someone. I really think that the only way things will get done is to let these rightists into positions of power. Though I do agree. I think this has more to do with japan securing it's position for the future more than helping out the international community. I am behind it 100%