WASHINGTON (Kyodo) The United States supported Japan's entry into the United Nations Security Council as a permanent member in a policy report in 1971 to curb the nation's growing nationalism, a declassified diplomatic document showed Saturday.
In the foreign policy report on Japan in August 1971, the U.S. government under then President Richard Nixon threw its support behind Tokyo to "channel Japan's nationalism and desire for recognition as a great power into constructive areas."
"Permanent membership in the Security Council is a major component of Japan's quest for recognition as a front-ranking power," it said.
At that time, the diplomatic process of expelling the Republic of China (Taiwan) from the United Nations and recognizing instead the People's Republic of China as the representative of China was in the final stage.
The document suggests the Nixon administration decided to support Japan as a permanent UNSC member for fear that China's recognition as a permanent member could make Japan feel frustrated over falling behind China and become excessively nationalistic.