For the first time in nearly eight decades, Japan has regained the ability to deploy combat aircraft from its ships. The arrival of the first three of 42 ordered fifth-generation F-35B Lightning II fighter jets — capable of short takeoff and vertical landing — marks a symbolic moment not only for Tokyo but for the entire regional security landscape.
The aircraft arrived from the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor — a location that, in 1941, became the starting point of a major Pacific conflict. Today, however, it stands as a symbol of close defense cooperation between the two nations.
The F-35Bs will be stationed on the upgraded Izumo and Kaga ships, which have been modified to host carrier-based aviation. In effect, Japan now possesses light aircraft carriers, significantly boosting its operational capabilities amid growing tensions in the South China Sea and rising uncertainty around Taiwan and the Korean Peninsula.
Equipped with multifunction radars featuring active electronically scanned arrays, advanced threat detection systems, and high-precision electro-optical targeting equipment, these aircraft offer a broad range of mission capabilities — from air defense to long-range reconnaissance — that were previously beyond the reach of the Japanese fleet.
Japan’s government stresses that this step is purely defensive, aimed at safeguarding maritime routes, airspace, and territorial waters. Yet military analysts view it as a strategic signal: Tokyo is prepared not only to respond to threats but to project power far beyond its shores, acting in concert with its allies.
In a time when the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific is rapidly shifting, Japan’s return to carrier-based aviation could become a pivotal factor in reshaping the region’s strategic map in the years ahead.
Japan F-35B Deliveries — cumulative (actual & planned)
maxnews24.comSmall note: data shows initial deliveries (3) on 7 Aug 2025, planned accumulation to 8 by Mar 31, 2026, and the long-term target of 42 F-35B aircraft.
