The central government is considering allowing the Self-Defense Forces to gather intelligence for foreign militaries as part of expanded logistical support as Japan seeks to boost its military missions abroad, a government source said.
The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes to state the change in a permanent law to be drafted to govern the dispatch overseas of SDF forces, the source said Tuesday.
Japan has only allowed intelligence gathering for the purpose of self-defense, due mainly to the war-renouncing Constitution that bans not only using force to settle international disputes but also assisting the use of force by foreign countries.