The government on Tuesday expressed its intention to outline legislation aimed to protect the life and property of citizens in the event of a foreign attack on Japan, government officials said.
Shinzo Abe, deputy chief Cabinet secretary, explained the government's intention during a meeting with executives of the ruling coalition, they said. The proposal will be discussed when an extraordinary Diet session convenes in autumn.
A set of bills for the purpose will be submitted to the Diet within two years, instead of two years from the enactment of planned contingency legislation, said Taku Yamasaki, Liberal Democratic Party secretary general, who attended the meeting.
The contingency legislation gives the national government greater power to deal with a foreign attack.
The citizen protection legislation is expected to cover evacuations, recovery of damages, transportation and communications, and public order, Yamasaki said.
With the citizen protection bills, the government also intends to submit a separate bill enabling the Self-Defense Forces to provide necessary support to U.S. forces if Japan is attacked by a foreign country, he said.
The government and the ruling coalition, consisting of the LDP, New Komeito and the New Conservative Party, also agreed to carry over the planned emergency contingency legislation to the next Diet session, Yamasaki said.