Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rebuffed criticism on Wednesday that the government's contentious security legislation would put Self-Defense Forces personnel at greater risk, saying they would provide logistics support in areas that are safe.

In the first one-on-one debate with opposition party leaders since last June, Abe also said even if the government's security bills are enacted, Japan would not get involved in a war against its will.

"It is a matter of course for the SDF to operate in areas where safety is secured," Abe said in response to questions from Democratic Party of Japan leader Katsuya Okada, who argued the SDF could be seen as an integral part of other militaries engaged in combat operations.

Abe said that if any conflict erupted in a place where SDF units were operating, the security legislation would allow them to evacuate immediately.

Under the current law, SDF units can only be deployed to “noncombat zones" when providing logistical support to other forces, which means SDF personnel can be dispatched only to areas where combat would not take place during their deployment. One of the new security bills would permit such missions, although troops would still be unable to deploy to already-active combat zones.

Meanwhile, as for the other bill, which would allow the SDF to exercise collective self-defense, or come to the aid of an ally under attack, Abe denied that it would be possible to send SDF forces to foreign territories for combat operations, even if a situation met all the requirements stipulated in the bills to exercise the right.

Collective self-defense can be used only when there is “clear danger” to Japan’s survival due to an armed attack on a country with which Tokyo has “close ties” and there are “no other appropriate means” to protect Japanese citizens. The use of force also should be limited, Abe said.

Okada urged Abe to fully explain to the public the risks the country may face if the bills become law, saying that the public is worried the legislation could erode the nation's pacifist Constitution.

"I'm against the exercise of collective self-defense. If (you think) it is necessary, you must explain" to the public, Okada told Abe.

The security legislation was submitted to the Diet on May 15, with the backing of coalition partner Komeito. The ruling camp holds more than two-thirds of seats in the House of Representatives, all but guaranteeing the bills will pass in the current Diet session.