Nepal backs Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council but has yet to decide whether to support a resolution on UNSC expansion Tokyo jointly submitted with Germany, Brazil and India, visiting Nepalese Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey said.

In an interview Monday with The Japan Times, the minister stressed the need to reform the U.N. — now 60 years old — to "face the challenges and responsibilities of the 21st century."

He also expressed support for Japan's effort to gain a permanent seat in the UNSC, saying Katmandu wants Tokyo to play a more decisive role in the international community.