Japan's ruling coalition has given formal approval to reinterpreting the constitution to allow greater use of military force, paving the way for Cabinet endorsement today of one of the biggest changes to Japanese security policy since World War II.
The move will allow the military to defend other nations under what is known as "collective self-defence."
Previous governments have said that Japan's war-renouncing constitution limits the use of force to the defence of Japan.
The constitution was drafted by American occupation forces after World War II in part to prevent a repeat of Japan's invasion and brutal occupation of wide swaths of Asia.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing hard for the change.
He cites a deteriorating security environment, including China's rise and North Korean missile and nuclear threats.
