Two bills that would expand the Self Defense Forces' overseas military role in line with updated guidelines for defense cooperation with the U.S. will be sent to the Diet on Tuesday, according to a senior LDP official.
The bills, along with a proposal to revise the Japan-U.S. Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement, were presented Wednesday to the Liberal Democratic Party's National Defense and Foreign Affairs divisions and to its research commissions on Security and Foreign Affairs.
The legislation would allow the SDF to play a greater military role overseas in accordance with new guidelines for Japan-U.S. defense cooperation issued last year. It would also allow SDF personnel greater leeway in using arms outside Japan.