DHAKA: Bangladesh and its long-day Asian friend Japan are going to face each other in the upcoming race to become the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 2015, said sources of foreign ministry.

The sources added only an Asian country will be elected as the member of UNSC and Japan and Bangladesh have separately shown their willingness on the matter.

Meanwhile, Japan began campaign for the polls, to be held at the 70th session of UN General Council on October 2015. Bangladesh is yet to start its campaign, ministry sources said.

Though both countries are the opponent, but they are trying to gain the support for each other. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will try to pursue the support of his Bangladesh Counterpart during his upcoming visit to Dhaka on September 6-7.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during her visit to Tokyo in May, told her Japanese counterpart, details on the UNSC’s polls would be discussed during Shinzo’s Dhaka visit.

A diplomatic source said that Japan was given a gesture that Bangladesh might withdraw its candidacy due to political perspectives. Japan has supported the incumbent Bangladesh government since the January 5 polls.

During Hasina’s Japan tour, the country gave promise of huge amount of investment and sought Bangladesh’s support for the UNSC’s poll.

A diplomat, who wished not to be named, said, “Every country gets the opportunity to vie for UNSC’s non-permanent member, if Bangladesh withdraws its candidature, the country will have to wait till 2025.”

“For this reason, campaign should be launched giving importance on the issue,” added the diplomat.

A FM official told banglanews, “Japan and Bangladesh are genuine friends, they have been supporting each other in all international organizations, and the UNSC’ polls would have no impact on the friendship.”

Japan became the non-permanent of UNSC for ten times and Bangladesh became the member for two times – first in 1979-1980 defeating Japan and second in 2000-2001.

BDST: 1014 HRS, SEP 03, 2014