Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday his administration will consider creating a permanent law allowing dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces overseas, a comment that could lead to a further rift between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, New Komeito.

The move would allow the government to send the SDF on overseas missions by bypassing Diet debate and without having to re-enact special legislation each time.

"We'd like to consider in detail what form it should take, a permanent or special law. We need to have thorough consultations and coordinate with the ruling coalition," Abe told the Upper House Budget Committee.