The Security Committee of Japan's lower house, or the House of Representatives, passed on Thursday a bill which is aimed at facilitating the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, one day before its anticipated passage through the plenary session of the lower house.

The bill was passed at the committee by a majority vote of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its minor coalition partner, the New Komeito party, in absence of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan and the Social Democratic Party, who boycotted the session, Kyodo News reported.

According to the legislation, local governments which host or are located near bases where the U.S. military presence is expected to be substantial will be given state subsidies according to their degree of cooperation with the central government in implementing a set of realignment plans constituted by Japan and the United States in May 2006.

The Japanese defense minister will choose local governments eligible for the subsidies, the legislation reads.

The broad realignment plans, including relocation of a U.S. Marine's air station within Okinawa and transfer of about 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam, have induced a spate of protests in concerned cities and regions.