Japan To Buy U.S. F-35 Fighters

Japan selected the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter to replace aging jets in its air force and bolster its defense capability.

TOKYO (AP) -- Japan selected the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter Tuesday to replace aging jets in its air force and bolster its defense capability amid regional uncertainty.

"Our decision on the next generation fighters was an extremely important one for our national security, and we wanted to acquire fighters with solid capability," Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa said at a news conference.

The announcement comes amid fresh concerns about regional stability following the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. The impoverished country is known to be pursuing nuclear weapons, and neighbors worry about the potential fallout from political maneuvering in Pyongyang.

"The security environment surrounding Japan remains unstable and uncertain in many ways, and it is crucial to ensure peace and independence of our country," Ichikawa said.

Japan is buying 42 of the aircraft under a multiyear deal, and has budgeted the cost of the first four fighters next fiscal year, which starts in April, said Noriyuki Shikata, deputy Cabinet secretary for public relations.



The F-35, also called the Joint Strike Fighter, is the Pentagon's biggest weapons procurement program -- costing $238 billion -- and has support from allies including Britain, Australia, Canada, Israel and several European nations. It is to be used by the U.S. Air Force, Marines and Navy.

The decision is going to deeply impact security throughout the region for decades to come. Washington is Tokyo's main ally, and roughly 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan under a security pact. Japan's air force must work closely with its American counterpart, and using the same or similar equipment makes that easier.

Japan's main concerns are China and Russia, with which it has long-standing territorial disputes.


Winning the Japan contract marks a major victory for Lockheed Martin, which is aggressively pushing the F-35 abroad. Though the program has been criticized for cost overruns and delays, the company says that eventually several thousand could be produced.

Japan -- with 362 fighter jets, mostly F-15s, F-4s and F-2s -- is already one of the top air powers in the region. But planners have long been concerned by the increasing age and expense of maintaining the fleet, along with Japan's ability to match the improving air capabilities of its neighbors.

The new fighters would replace the F-4s.




Associated Press writers Eric Talmadge and Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report.

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