Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to push through tougher security laws are seeing smooth sailing.
In his latest success Wednesday, 10 days before the Diet wraps up its extraordinary session, the bill to establish a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council was passed into law by the Upper House.
This new council is slated to begin operating as early as next week, while its secretariat, consisting of a staff of about 60 and headed by former Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi, will be launched in January under the Cabinet Office.