The ruling camp was poised to enact contentious security laws early Saturday in the Upper House after shrugging off a range of no-confidence and censure motions filed against the government earlier in the day.
The battle over the bills, which started Wednesday evening in the upper chamber and saw fists fly on Thursday, was entering its final phase as enactment loomed.
Designed to expand the scope of the Self-Defense Forces' operations overseas and reinforce Japan's all-important military alliance with the United States, the legislation would allow Japan to engage in collective self-defense, or coming to the aid of an ally under armed attack, even if Japan itself is not under attack.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.