Japan’s lower house of parliament on Thursday approved a set of bills to allow the military to fight abroad for the first time since World War II.<br /><br /> Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is keen to strengthen the military’s role to<br />counter China’s growing presence in the region and contribute more to international peacekeeping.<br /><br /> “This is absolutely necessary legislation to protect the lives of the Japanese and also to prevent the country from going to war, Abe said.<br /><br /> The planned changes represent a major shift for Japan, which has a pacifist constitution.<br /><br /> Surveys show that around 80 percent of Japanese are wary of the new legislation and many believe it to be unconstitutional.<br /><br /> Protests were held outside parliament in Tokyo and opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote.<br /><br /> “The bills destroy the principles of constitution, said 60-year-old Fumio Imai, who was demonstrating against the legislation.<br /><br /> “We cannot accept the bills as they affect the direction of the country and our everyda
