Update | Japan approves end to ban on military fighting overseas in victory for Shinzo Abe
The reinterpretation of the constitution is seen by many as a shift away from post-war pacifism
Tokyo yesterday lifted a 60-year-old ban that has kept its armed forces from fighting abroad.
It was a move seen by many as the biggest shift away from pacifism since the end of the second world war and a victory for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he strives to make Japan a "normal country" again.
The decision to reinterpret the constitution is likely to irritate Japan's neighbours and further divide North Asia. But it will garner support from countries in Southeast Asia seeking an alternative counterbalance - in addition to the United States - to an increasingly assertive China, analysts say.
Watch: Japan expands scope of military despite public anger
The resolution passed by the Japanese cabinet permits the use of a minimum amount of force to defend another country under attack if that nation has close ties with Japan. That right may only be exercised if the attack poses a threat to Japan's existence and if there is no other way of protecting Japanese people.