The bill is expected to go before the parliament on Friday.
After Japan lost WWII, the government amended its constitution so that the military could not be used to solve international disputes. Japan's current armed forces are called self-defense forces and their functions are severely limited.
The government-endorsed bill on international peace assistance is part of Japan's effort to overhaul its security legislation. It will empower Tokyo with providing logistic support to its military allies. If adopted, the law will become permanent, meaning the government will not need to seek the parliament's mandate every time it dispatches self-defense forces overseas.
The legislative package on national security includes 10 amendments to the existing self-defense laws. The key provision will allow Japan to to send its armed forces abroad on various occasions.
The legislation essentially allows Japan's self-defense forces to come to the aid of its allies when there is a threat to the country's existence, in the case of a military provocation, as well as to defend Japanese nationals abroad and secure their release from foreign captivity.
