TOKYO, Aug. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Japan is to mull its next step on expanding the UN Security Council following the African Union's decision Thursday not to pursue a joint proposal with the so-called Group of Four countries, which includes Japan, Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said Friday.

    "We want to consider carefully whether to move toward a vote after looking at the atmosphere in Africa by country again and properly analyzing it, particularly among the G-4 countries, as well as possibly involving some African countries," Machimura said.

    "We do not take the position that we will go for a vote no matter what. This is what our realistic approach means," the foreign minister told a press conference in Tokyo. 

    Leaders of the 53-nation African Union decided Thursday in Ethiopia not to pursue a joint resolution with the G-4 countries --Japan, Brazil, Germany and India -- for expanding the Security Council and agreed to continue discussions on the matter among AU members.

    "Our basic line was to compile a joint resolution and have the framework resolution passed at the UN General Assembly with a vote of two-thirds or more as the first step in reforming the Security Council, but this is the result," Machimura said.

    He said efforts will continue toward having the leaders of UN members adopt a document that includes the element of Security Council reforms as part of wide-ranging plans for reforming the United Nations overall when they meet in New York in mid-September for a special UN summit.

    Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said at a separate news conference that the Japanese government's position of seeking an early agreement on expanding the Security Council remains unchanged.

    The foreign ministers of the G-4 countries, which are seeking permanent seats on the Security Council, and the AU ministers met in London on July 25, and the two sides reportedly reached a basic agreement on a joint campaign to enlarge the Security Council. Enditem