The Defense Agency plans to launch a panel as early as next week to review the country's defense capacity in light of recent changes in the global security environment, agency chief Gen Nakatani said Monday.
Nakatani told reporters during his visit to Indonesia that the panel may hold its first meeting Tuesday.
The panel will consider allowing the SDF to fill new roles, such as responding to terrorist attacks, dealing with piracy on the high seas, and participating to a greater extent in U.N. peacekeeping missions, multilateral military drills and disaster relief operations.
The committee will also discuss revising the National Defense Program Outline to respond to changes in the security environment, including significant advances in military technology. The program outline was last amended in 1995.