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Key Point: Japan is embracing the F-35 stealth fighter, with plans to fully integrate F-35Bs on its carriers JS Kaga and JS Izumo. Exercises off the San Diego coast alongside U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs prepare Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force for carrier operations, using systems like the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS).

-Japan is the F-35 program’s largest international customer, with 42 F-35Bs and 105 F-35As ordered, replacing aging F-4s.

-These developments bolster U.S.-Japan military collaboration and serve as a deterrent against Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, aligning Japan’s defense capabilities with American strategy in the region.

Japan Is Falling In Love With the F-35

Japan is upgrading its navy once again, and this time its F-35B carrier-borne stealth fighters will play a decisive role in the defense of the nation. 

Personnel on Japan’s helicopter carrier, the JS Kaga (DDH 184), worked with the United States to learn how to better operate F-35s from its decks. Starting on October 5 and ending on November 18, the JS Kaga will practice flight deck operations off the coast of San Diego.

Full-time Japanese F-35B Carrier Operations Are On the Way

This is a huge step toward fulfilling the promise of Japan’s F-35s. 

The stealth fighters could eventually be able to fly from the JS Kaga on a regular basis which would give the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force a massive advantage in East Asia.

 China is sure to be watching these developments as Japan would be better able to respond to contingencies should Beijing enter into some type of shooting war against the United States and its allies.

Let the Americans Show the Japanese How It’s Done

F-35Bs from the U.S. Marine Corps will take off and land from the JS Kaga with short-take-off and vertical landing missions. 

The F-35Bs will be using the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) to accomplish the carrier operations better. 

JPALS utilizes GPS and inertial navigation to assist the F-35Bs. Twenty members of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force will be on the carrier and watching closely to learn lessons how the “jump jets” conduct carrier operations.

Another Japanese Helicopter Carrier Is Being Converted

If all goes well and Japanese pilots learn to take off and land from the Kaga, the helicopter carrier will become a full-fledged aircraft carrier. Japan’s other helicopter carrier, the JS Izumo, will also be converted for F-35B operations.

The Japanese will soon receive all 42 F-35Bs from the United States. They will be part of the squadron at Nyutabaru Air Base in Miyazaki Prefecture until they are deployed on the Kaga and the Izumo. 

Japan Is the F-35’s Biggest International Customer

Japan loves the F-35 and is the world’s biggest fighter customer. In addition to the F-35Bs, the Japanese have ordered 105 F-35As. For Japan’s F-35 program, the Final Assembly and Check Out facilities will be in Nagoya. The F-35 is replacing Japan’s aging F-4 fighters.

Japanese F-35A’s Make A Statement with an American B-2

Last month, F-35As from Japan flew with the U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber for the first time. Four stealth fighters from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force flew in formation with the B-2 that was launched from Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley in Australia. 

Deterrence Through Strength

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Justin Meyer, the 110th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander, said in a news release that “the opportunity to integrate our B-2 Spirit pilots with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force 5th generation aircraft is a significant milestone for our bilateral integration operations.” 

“This collaboration not only strengthens our defense posture but also underscores our commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region,” he added.

Japan is becoming arguably the strongest military ally in the region. These two developments – the F-35B eventually becoming a regular deployment on two Japanese soon-to-be aircraft carriers and this current mission with the American B-2 are significant.

This Is Part of a Bigger Strategy

These may seem like tactical accomplishments, but they are strategic concerns. 

The F-35 is doing its job – to be a multi-role and multi-national fighter that can help allied militaries be stronger against adversaries. 

Should China continue to throw its weight around in the Indo-Pacific, the United States military will need allies that use the same airplanes. Japan will soon have two full-fledged carriers flying F-35Bs. This is just what the Americans wanted with the F-35 program. 

Meanwhile, Japan could not be happier. They decided to go all in on the F-35, and things are progressing nicely. The airplane has cemented the military partnership between Japan and the United States. 

China is finding out that if it makes threatening or audacious moves in the region, Japan will use the F-35 to defend its national interests and deter Beijing. Japan is loving the F-35 as a result.

About the Author

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.