The committee eventually passed the bills, sending them to the full upper house for what is likely to be a final, decisive vote. The chamber, which is controlled by Mr. Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party and its ally Komeito, began deliberations late in the evening and was expected to work through the night to overcome procedural roadblocks thrown up by five opposition parties.

If passed by the full house, the legislation would allow the Japanese military, known as the Self-Defense Forces, to cooperate more closely with the militaries of allies like the United States, by providing logistical support and, in certain circumstances, armed backup in international conflicts.

It would be a significant shift for a country whose armed forces have not seen action since World War II. The United States imposed Japan’s pacifist Constitution after its wartime aggression, and antiwar sentiment remains widespread in Japanese society. In the past, the Self-Defense Forces have played noncombat roles in United Nations peacekeeping operations and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the use of force has been limited by law to the direct defense of Japan.

“It’s unfortunate that the bills had to be approved this way, but they are absolutely necessary to protect the lives and happiness of the people,” Masahisa Sato, a former military officer and Liberal Democrat who is a member of the committee, said after the raucous session.

Mr. Abe and other conservatives argue that the strictly defensive security policy that Japan has followed since the end of the war is inadequate to meet modern-day threats like the growing military power of China. Critics worry that abandoning the policy would lead to Japan’s becoming involved in unnecessary foreign wars, and they contend that the legislation violates Japan’s Constitution.