HONOLULU -- The proposal that Japan, India, Germany and Brazil become permanent members of the U.N. Security Council is almost certain to fail, but it may trigger sweeping reforms in a 1945 institution incapable of coping with the issues of 2005.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva presented their joint bid in New York on Sept. 22, asserting "they are legitimate candidates for permanent membership in an expanded Security Council."
The Security Council today has five permanent members with the veto -- the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France (the victors of World War II). Ten other members are chosen to rotate through the council on two-year terms.