The Japanese cabinet on Tuesday rubber-stamped a resolution that will allow the country to exercise collective self-defense right by reinterpreting the pacifist Constitution, despite strong criticism from the public and overseas.

The resolution, which is regarded as a major overhaul of Japan' s postwar security policy, sets three new conditions that would enable the exercise of the collective self-defense right, such as when there are "clear dangers" to the lives of its people and their rights due to armed attacks on Japan or "countries with close ties."

It, in substance, will enable Japan to take military action to defend other countries even though the nation itself is not under attack, leaving the war-renouncing Article 9 of the country's Constitution a dead letter.

The move taken by the government led by Shinzo Abe was strongly opposed by Japanese people. On Sunday, a man set himself on fire on a busy Tokyo street, while a day later, thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of Abe's official residence, protesting against Abe and his attempt to broaden Japan's military capabilities.

South Korea and China, two nations that suffered under Japanese wartime aggression, have also expressed concerns. "We are against any move by the Japanese side that undermines regional peace, security and stability," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters last Friday.