Abe's security bills clear Japan's lower house despite protests

Tokyo

JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's security bills passed Parliament's lower house on Thursday after a night of noisy protests, as his push to expand the role of the military risks further eroding his public support.

The move pits Mr Abe against voters uneasy about any deviation from 70 years of postwar pacifism, even with a more assertive China on their doorstep.