Japan will begin deploying its first U.S.-made F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters to the country’s southern region starting August 7, according to a July 29 announcement by the Japanese Ministry of Defense.
The move marks the operational debut of the F-35B, manufactured by U.S. aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin, within Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force.
The ministry said four F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) jets will be stationed at Nyutabaru Air Base in Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island. The region, which includes the disputed Senkaku Islands, lies close to Taiwan and has seen growing presence of Chinese naval and air assets.
Stars and Stripes reported that the aircraft will be flown to Nyutabaru by American pilots, who are also expected to conduct a demonstration flight over the base in September to help ease local concerns about noise, particularly during vertical landings.
The ministry said the jets will be assigned to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s Temporary F-35B Unit, created to manage the integration of the new aircraft.
Japan plans to base eight F-35Bs at Nyutabaru by the end of fiscal 2025 and anticipates a total of 40 in service by the time the new Mageshima base becomes operational in 2029 or 2030.
Tokyo approved the acquisition of 42 F-35Bs in 2018 as part of its broader defense modernization program, which also included an expanded order of 105 F-35As.
With these purchases, Japan becomes the largest operator of F-35s outside the United States.
