Japan collective self-defence should include others, not just U.S. - adviser

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan should change the interpretation of its constitution to allow its military to defend not only its ally, the United States, but also other countries whose interests are closely intertwined with Tokyo, a key security adviser to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.

The proposed change would represent a further stretching of the limits of Japan's post-war, pacifist constitution and go beyond proposals that the country should only exercise its right of collective self-defence to aid forces of the United States, with which it has a formal alliance.