Japan passes law allowing troops to fight abroad

Japan's parliament has passed a law allowing its military to fight on foreign soil for the first time since World War II.
The upper house of the Japanese parliament passed the law on Saturday despite fierce attempts by opposition politicians to block the move.
The approval makes the legislation into law, loosening post-World War II constraints on the use of force by the military to its own self-defence only.
The legislation, passed by the more powerful lower house in July, sparked sizeable protests and debate about whether the nation should shift away from its pacifist ways to face growing security challenges.
The motion, backed by Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition, passed following days of heated debate that at times descended into scuffles and shouting matches between parliament members, according to Al Jazeera.
--Samir--