Tokyo, Rajab 25, 1436, May 14, 2015, SPA -- A significant expansion of the role of Japan's military forces overseas came a step closer Thursday, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet adopted new security legislation despite public opposition, dpa reported. The bill would remove geographical restrictions on where Japan's Self-Defence Forces can operate, and allow the military to fight to defend its allies, under certain conditions, for the first time since World War II. The government was expected to submit the legislation to parliament on Friday. --SPA 13:40 LOCAL TIME 10:40 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w