Japan’s powerful lower house of parliament voted Tuesday to allow the country’s space programs to be used for national defense, the latest move by Tokyo to give more freedom to the tightly controlled military.

The legislation, which is expected to be approved by the upper house as well, is primarily aimed at letting the military use Japan’s civilian-controlled spy satellite network for defense as defined by the pacifist constitution.

“Space development has become increasingly important,” the bill says. It says space programs must “contribute to ensure peace and safety of international society, as well as the national security of our country.”

The bill does not specify what the programs will be used for, but the satellite network and other assets could be used for surveillance, planning and for a missile defense shield Japan is building with the United States.

The bill would overturn a ban on military use of space imposed on the country’s nascent space program in 1969. The U.S.-drafted 1947 constitution prohibits Japan from offensive warfare.

The legislation stipulates that all members of the Cabinet, not just the education, science and technology ministers, will be responsible for Japan’s future space projects. The inclusion of the defense minister would pave the way for the military to possess and develop spy satellites.

The legislation also would establish a special space task force led by the prime minister and create a new post of space development minister.

The move is the latest in recent years to loosen controls on the military, which is technically known as a self-defense force.

The Defense Agency was upgraded to ministry status in 2007, and Japanese troops were sent to a combat zone for the first time since World War II in 2004, although the mission in Iraq was strictly humanitarian.

Both the ruling coalition and the largest opposition party support the bill. Some pacifist lawmakers from the Communist and Social Democratic parties boycotted Tuesday’s vote, saying the bill contradicted the principle of a civilian-controlled space program.

The nation’s largest newspaper, Yomiuri, praised the bill and urged its quick enactment.

“It is only natural to use space development for Japan’s national security,” it said in a weekend editorial, adding that it was needed to counter the threat of North Korea’s missile program.

The left-leaning Asahi newspaper, however, raised concerns that the legislation “may escalate friction with neighboring countries.”