Published on April 21, 2019.
Based on a chapter originally published on October 9, 2015, this essay discusses the heavy burden Japan bore in UN assessed contributions and the irresponsibility of the permanent members of the Security Council.
At the time, Japan was covering about one-fifth of the UN budget, effectively supporting the organization on a scale exceeding the combined contributions of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
Yet Japan remained only a non-permanent member, while the victorious powers continued to dominate the UN through veto power.
This is a sharp critique of the unfair international order and a statement of pride in Japan’s role in sustaining the world despite its status as a defeated nation.

2019-04-21
“Japan is supporting the world.”
Even if that is a somewhat slanted way of looking at it, it is all right to think so.
The following is from a chapter I published on October 9, 2015.
Masayuki Takayama, a true man of backbone, wrote in one of his books that Japan’s contribution to the United Nations was greater than the combined total of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, so I searched to confirm it.
The writer whose name was not given at all, but who was, like him, a true man of backbone, had written something entirely correct.
The bold emphasis except for the title, and the comments marked with an asterisk below, are mine.
Payments of contributions to the United Nations, number one in the world.
Our country bears no less than 19.9% of the entire UN budget.
In terms of burden ratio, the United States is actually number one at 25%, but the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia have delayed payment of their contributions for years and show no sign of paying.
Japan is second at 19%.
Germany is third at 9.8%.
France is fourth at 6.3%.
Russia is fifth at 5.7%.
The United Kingdom is sixth at 5.3%, and China is ninth at 0.9%.
What Masayuki Takayama had written was, naturally, entirely correct.
At present, the top three countries alone cover 54% of the total.
But have you noticed.
Japan and Germany, which bear these high rates, are non-permanent members.
As you know, the permanent members are the victors of the Second World War.
For that reason alone, they have remained permanent members for half a century, intervened in conflicts and started wars only for their own interests, and exercised veto power.
They are countries whose baseness knows no bounds.
And they leave their payments in arrears as much as they please.
Japan must possess greater authority within the United Nations and at the same time face it with a firm attitude.
Incidentally, in the year 2000 Japan’s burden rate will be raised to 20.6%.
Among 185 member states all contributing to the budget, one single country bears as much as one-fifth.
That country is a small island nation in the Far East, and a defeated nation.
I feel deep indignation at this fact, and at the same time a strange sense of superiority.
The reason the United Nations can function economically at present is none other than that Japan and Germany pay their assessed contributions without falling into arrears.
These two countries, both defeated and placed in a weak position, became economic powers and are supporting the United Nations.
How disgraceful the permanent members are, spending their days in military expansion and war.
“Japan is supporting the world.”
Even if that is a somewhat slanted way of looking at it, it is all right to think so.