TOKYO, Aug 18: Japan won seven critical votes for its campaign to win a permanent seat on the Security Council on Thursday when a group of Central American nations agreed to support its bid to modify the UN charter.

Leaders of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama and Dominican Republic agreed to back Japan’s plan which is co-sponsored by Germany, Brazil and India, the so-called G4 countries.

“Japan’s request to join the Security Council is absolutely legitimate,” Nicaraguan vice president Jose Rizo Castellon told journalists in Tokyo.

In exchange Japan has committed itself to invest heavily in Central American infrastructure projects and help train its security forces.

Earlier this month momentum for change on the Security Council was crippled after the 53-member African Union refused to join forces with the G4.

That decision prompted UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to move a target date for expansion from September to December.

To begin the council expansion, the 191-member General Assembly must approve any change by a two-thirds vote, each member casting one vote.

Central American diplomats said support for Japan’s UN ambitions was a small price to pay at time in which they are desperately seeking greater international recognition.

Speaking at a meeting with Japanese business leaders Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco de la Espriella sought to assuage Japanese concern over corruption and security threats.

“We’d like to encourage Japanese investment in the region. We could certainly benefit from your sense of discipline, and I dare say you too could learn a little from our ability to throw a good party,” he said.—Reuters