Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday named 14 defense and diplomacy experts to a committee that will create a framework for a national security body.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>'We've decided to set up the council to consider steps to reorganize and strengthen a –

of the prime minister's office that will give orders on diplomatic and national security policy," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki said.

One of Abe's priorities has been to create a body similar to the U.S. National Security Council. It would act as a central information-gathering body that would also issue directives on security matters.

Some government sources said a security committee here would look more like the group in Britain, which is smaller than the one in the U.S. and works with the Cabinet.

Tension in the region has risen since North Korea's July missile tests and Oct. 9 nuclear test. There are also growing fears Japan will become a target for terrorist attacks.