Vote Allows Japanese to Guard US Bases in Japan: American military installations in Japan may soon be guarded by the nation’s Ground Self-Defense Force. The Japanese Diet passed a bill Monday giving the SDF a wider role in the war on terrorism. The Diet approved a revision of laws that govern use of the nation’s air, ground and maritime Self-Defense Forces to support the U.S. initiative against terrorism. One change could see Japanese troops sharing security burdens at some U.S. bases in Japan.