Japan on Tuesday renewed its claim to a permanent seat on the Security Council, asserting that without reform of the United Nations, international trust in the organisation would be undermined.

The Japanese foreign minister, Masahiko Koumura, told the UN General Assembly there were three arguments in favour of his country's case.

First "it is essential that the Security Council be re-created to reflect the present international situation, with a reform in both its permanent and non-permanent memberships," he said.

"Japan would like to assume greater responsibilities as a permanent member."

Koumura did not specify other changes which Japan wanted to see in the composition of the Council which has five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- and 10 other members which each serve for two years.

"Second there is an urgent need for reforms to place the United Nations on a sound financial base," Koumura said.

"One cannot but question the fairness of a situation in which Japan is expected to pay an assessed contribution that exceeds the sum of the contributions made by the four permanent members of the Security Council not including the United States."

Japan contributes 19.98 percent of the UN's general budget, or 207.65 million dollars; as of September 15 it was fully paid up on this budget but owned just over 122 million dollars to the peacekeeping budget.

The United States contributes 25 percent of the regular budget; it owes more than 570 million dollars to this budget and 1.197 billion dollars to the peacekeeping budget.

The contributions to the regular budget of the other permanent Council members are: France 6.54 percent; Britain 5.09 percent; Russia 1.49 percent; China 0.97 percent. All are fully paid up for this year but owe various amounts to the peacekeeping budget.

Two other non-permanent members with large contributions to the regular budget are Germany and Italy, with 9.81 percent and 5.43 percent respectively; both are fully paid up but have outstanding contributions to the peacekeeping budgets.

Third, Koumura said, the UN must "strengthen its efforts in the economic and social area including development".

Japan hoped to be elected to the Economic and Social Council this year, he said and would work to advance the coordination of UN agencies and to promote dialogue with the IMF and World Bank.