Tokyo, Sept. 28 (Jiji Press)–Japan has exercised its right of reply at the U.N. General Assembly to rebut remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Japan and Germany were on a path of militarization, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Monday. Lavrov said in a General Assembly speech on Saturday that the U.N. Security Council should not create new seats for the two nations, which he said have embarked on a path of militarization and revanchism. Kihara told a press conference in Tokyo that Lavrov’s remarks were “factually incorrect.” He said Japan used its right of reply to make clear that it “has consistently upheld freedom, democracy and the rule of law since the end of World War II and contributed to global prosperity.” “Japan will continue strenuous efforts toward reforming the Security Council in collaboration with a broad range of countries,” Kihara said, reiterating Tokyo’s bid to win a permanent seat on the council. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
