Clock ticks as Japan PM pushes to loosen constraints on military

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's campaign to ease constitutional curbs that have kept the military out of overseas conflicts for nearly 70 years is going down to the wire.

With less than two weeks before a self-imposed deadline, a gulf yawns between the hawkish leader and his dovish coalition partner on changes that would allow Japan's military to go to the aid of a friendly nation under attack.