Main elements of Japan's security legislation

Collective self-defense

This allows Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense by deploying its military to respond to an attack against a friendly foreign country under three conditions: the attack results in a threat to Japan's survival; no other appropriate means are available; and the use of force is limited to the minimum necessary.

As examples, Abe has cited defending a US ship attacked while transporting Japanese citizens evacuating a conflict zone, or protecting a US destroyer conducting surveillance against a possible missile attack on Japan.