The United States on Thursday announced it favoured adding at least two permanent members to the United Nations Security Council.
The US said it would propose specific criteria for candidates.
Washington also made clear its opposition to giving veto powers to newcomers, saying the privilege should be reserved for the current five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.
India, together with Japan, Brazil and Germany, nicknamed the Group of Four -- is lobbying for a permanent Security Council seat, and the quartet has circulated a revised draft proposal that would expand the body from 15 to 25 members.
"We will likely support adding two or so permanent members to the Security Council," Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told reporters, stressing that Japan was one of its prospective nominees.