Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and U.N. General Assembly President Harri Holkeri agreed Monday on the importance of carrying out reforms in the world body, including the Security Council, a Japanese government official said.
In a meeting at the Prime Minister's Official Residence, Mori and Holkeri also agreed that the international community should tackle "human security" issues such as poverty and environmental destruction, the official said.
Mori told Holkeri he agreed with both U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin in separate meetings last month that the United Nations should move on with reforms, the official said.
Holkeri, who also heads a task force on U.N. Security Council reform, said he is approaching U.N. member governments separately to make sure they agree on the importance of reforming the organization, the official said.
Mori also said "human security" issues are important in the age of globalization, and Holkeri said he has strong interests in the area, the official said. Holkeri, a former Finnish prime minister, arrived in Japan on Sunday for a six-day visit.