Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may have won many hearts when he became the first Japanese leader to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress this week. With his speech interrupted by frequent applause and standing ovations, Abe trumpeted transformation of the bilateral security alliance into a global partnership and pledged that Japan is "resolved to take yet more responsibility for the peace and stability in the world." Now he needs to win the understanding of the Japanese people, who appear to remain wary of his administration's bid to significantly expand the nation's international security roles.

Abe's ruling coalition parties effectively wrapped up their talks on a package of security legislation prepared by his administration in time for his visit to the U.S. Ahead of his talks with U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday, the foreign and defense ministers of the two governments formally agreed on the first revision to the guidelines of Japan-U.S. defense cooperation in 18 years — which is closely linked to the planned security legislation. In his speech to Congress on Wednesday, Abe pledged twice that his administration would enact the legislation by this summer.

"In Japan we are working hard to enhance the legislative foundations for our security. Once in place, Japan will be much more able to provide a seamless response for all levels of crisis. These enhanced legislative foundations should make the cooperation between the U.S. military and Japan's Self Defense Forces even stronger, and the alliance still more solid, providing credible deterrence for the peace in the region. This reform is the first of its kind and a sweeping one in our post-war history. We will achieve this by this coming summer," he said.