A group of ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers asked the government Thursday to revise the Self-Defense Force Law to expand areas the SDF can guard to beyond airspace, and to draft bills for better handling of high-level contingencies within Japan.

The request, submitted to Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka by LDP lawmakers Gen Nakatani and Kenzo Yoneda, bears the signatures of 223 LDP legislators who support new emergency bills.

The group began gathering signatures on June 11 in an effort to gain the support of more lawmakers.