Japan was elected to hold a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the first time in six years.

The UN General Assembly on Thursday also elected Switzerland, Mozambique, Malta and Ecuador as non-permanent members of the Council in a secret ballot at the UN headquarters in New York.

The five countries will take up two-year positions from January 1 next year.

It marks the 12th time for Japan to win a non-permanent seat on the Council. Japan last served a non-permanent term for two years through December 2017.

The Council is made up of 15 members, five of whom are permanent: the U.S., Russia, China, France and Britain. The other ten positions are filled by other countries for two-year stints, five of which are announced each year.