Japan's lower house passes bill to set up U.S.-style NSC

(Source) http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/kyodo-news-international/131107/japans-lower-house-passes-bill-set-us-style-nsc
A government bill to establish a U.S.-style National Security Council in Japan cleared the House of Representatives Thursday in a step Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sees as vital to better respond to the changing security environment in Asia.
The bill, designed to empower the prime minister's office to take the lead in crafting foreign and defense policy, was sent to the House of Councillors, with the government seeking its passage before the Dec. 6 end of the current extraordinary Diet session.
[...]
To make full use of the NSC, the government is also seeking passage of another bill to toughen penalties for leakers of "special secrets," or sensitive information related to diplomacy, defense, terrorism and espionage.
[...]