On Tuesday the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, New Komeito, began considering 16 scenarios that might highlight legal and procedural problems in Japan's defense strategy amid a changing security environment in Asia.

The scenarios included four so-called gray-zone events, four international peacekeeping-related scenarios, and eight instances in which Japan might have to resort to the use of force.

The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe drew up the scenarios after receiving a report by a handpicked defense-reform panel earlier this month.