1 billion yen to increase staff at U.N.

The Finance Ministry earmarked 1.23 billion yen in the draft budget for fiscal 2005 Monday to increase the number of Japanese in the United Nations and related organizations as it doggedly pursues a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council.

The Foreign Ministry plans to boost the number of Japanese staff to 670 in fiscal 2008. As of last January, there were 610 Japanese, of whom 110 were working at U.N. headquarters, 59 in UNESCO and 51 in the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Foreign Ministry believes that increasing the number of Japanese in U.N. organizations will help Japan consolidate its position, according to ministry officials.

The ministry will use the money to put U.N.-related job information on the Internet and to accept employment missions from U.N.-related institutions.