"Only a country that takes responsibility for its history and wins over the trust of the people of Asia and the world, can take greater responsibilities in the international community."

While speaking to reporters in New Delhi during an official visit to India, the Chinese Prime Minister also noted that Japan's aggression during World War Two inflicted tremendous suffering on citizens of China, Asia and the world. He added the protests in China should give Tokyo reason to rethink its bid for a permanent council seat.

China is among the five permanent members of the Security Council, and can exercise its veto against Japan's membership in the powerful body.

Japan and three other countries, dubbed G-4, aim to expand permanent seats in the Security Council and are seeking to push ahead with the reform process even without a consensus of U.N. member countries.

But the G-4 countries are facing stiff opposition from at least 20 medium sized countries, including Korea, which want to have semi-permanent seats to be added in the Security Council. And even a larger pool of countries that have yet to reveal their preference are opposing any structural reform in the elite club without a consensus.

Arirang TV