Japan secured a nonpermanent seat on the U.N. Security Council for a record 12th time in a General Assembly election on Thursday, with its two-year term set to start next January.
Tokyo's return comes as the council, in charge of ensuring international peace and security, has appeared dysfunctional, particularly with Russia, one of the five permanent members, exercising its veto power over its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Japan joined the United Nations in 1956 and has long expressed its ambition to become a permanent member of a reformed Security Council. The country last served a nonpermanent term in the 15-member council in the two years through December 2017.