The Japanese government on Friday used its two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament to ram through controversial anti-terror legislation in what is the first use of such override powers in more than half a century.

The administration of Yasuo Fukuda, prime minister, has invested substantial political capital in the legislation, which would allow Japanese naval vessels to resume supplying oil to allied ships on anti-terror patrols in the Indian Ocean. Japanese ships are expected to set sail within weeks.