Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, is to defy public opinion and announce a dramatic shift in the country's defence policy that would make it easier for its troops to fight in overseas conflicts. Abe's cabinet is expected to adopt a resolution on Tuesday that would end Japan's long-standing ban on exercising collective self-defence, or coming to the aid of an ally under attack even if Japan itself is not threatened. Japan's postwar constitution prohibits the use of force to settle international disputes – a restriction Abe and his supporters say inhibits the country's ability to protect itself and its allies, despite growing fears over North Korea's nuclear programme and China's aggressive territorial claims in the region.
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