Japan’s prime minister is pushing ahead with a controversial plan to give its military freer reign to act overseas.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a news conference to explain his proposal to reinterpret Japan’s peace constitution.

A governmental council today (Thursday) submitted a report on the right to exercise what’s called collective self-defense.

Abe says he’s determined to prepare laws enabling collective self-defense to strengthen Japan’s peace and security.

Collective self-defense will be exercised only when key allies are under attack or the nation’s security is threatened.

The report leaves undecided how Japan should respond to “gray zone” threats such as non-military invasions, and the question of joining multinational forces abroad.

Abe has cited threats including China and North Korea in pushing to give Japan’s military more freedom to act, a move the U.S. supports.