The Diet enacted a revised law Friday that allows the Defense Agency chief to order emergency missile interceptions without waiting for approval from the prime minister and the Cabinet.
The move paves the way for introduction of a missile defense system in 2007.
During a plenary session Friday afternoon, the House of Councilors passed a bill to add missile-defense provisions to the Self-Defense Forces Law. The bill was passed with a majority vote by the ruling coalition; it cleared the House of Representatives in June.