A Lower House special committee approved three controversial bills Monday to implement the updated Japan-U.S. defense guidelines, which will enable Japan to provide more military support to U.S. forces.
Approval for the bills will be put for a full house vote at the Lower House plenary session today.
Now that the Liberal Democratic Party-Liberal Party coalition has won support from New Komeito, the second largest opposition party, the bills are certain to clear the Lower House today, prior to Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton, and the Upper House within the current Diet session through mid-June.