The government will protect and evacuate foreign residents of Japan as well as Japanese citizens in the event of a military attack on Japan, the government said Friday.

The measure is based on an interpretation that the protection of basic human rights stipulated in the Constitution can cover foreign residents, the government said in a written response to a question by an opposition lawmaker.

The government also said it would apply the existing legal framework and procedures to investigate if there are claims of abuses of power by authorities such as the Self-Defense Forces, police and firefighters following an armed attack.