Japan is stepping up—and it’s about time. With China breathing down its neck, flexing its military muscle across the Pacific, and challenging sovereignty in the East China Sea, our key ally is no longer sitting back. Japan is transforming from a postwar pacifist power into a modern military force capable of holding the line against Beijing’s aggression. And it’s doing so with help from the most advanced fighter jet on the planet: the American-made F-35B.
This isn’t just a military upgrade—it’s a geopolitical game-changer. Japan is converting its Izumo-class helicopter carriers, the JS Izumo and JS Kaga, into full-fledged aircraft carriers. These will be the first Japanese carriers since World War II, and they’ll be armed with F-35B stealth fighters that can take off from short runways and land vertically. That’s not just a tactical advantage—it’s a strategic deterrent.
Let’s be clear: Japan is responding to the rising threat from Communist China. And rightly so. China has been swarming the waters around Japan’s southwestern islands, menacing the disputed Senkaku Islands, and sending warships and aircraft dangerously close to Japanese airspace. This isn’t peaceful diplomacy—it’s military intimidation.
“China has been swiftly increasing its national defense expenditures, thereby extensively and rapidly enhancing its military capability,” Japan’s 2025 defense white paper warns. That’s not hyperbole. China has launched three aircraft carriers, built hundreds of advanced warplanes and missiles, and constructed artificial islands in the South China Sea—all while threatening Taiwan and testing American resolve.
But Japan isn’t blinking. With the delivery of its first batch of F-35Bs now confirmed, Tokyo is signaling that it won’t be pushed around. Four of these jets will arrive at Nyutabaru Air Base in August, and Japan plans to have eight in total by the end of fiscal year 2025. By 2027, these stealth fighters will be deployed aboard the Izumo, followed by the Kaga in 2028.
This is a big deal. The F-35B, made by U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin, is the only stealth aircraft in the world capable of short takeoff and vertical landing. It’s designed to operate from carriers that don’t have full-length flight decks—exactly what Japan’s converted ships offer. As Lockheed Martin puts it, the F-35B “gives it the unique capability to operate from a variety of ships, roads and austere bases near frontline combat zones.”
In other words, these jets are built for contested environments. And that’s exactly what the Western Pacific has become.
This is also a win for American defense partnerships. Under President Trump’s strong leadership, the U.S.-Japan alliance is thriving. We’re not just selling hardware—we’re shaping a regional security architecture that deters China and reassures our allies. The F-35 program is a cornerstone of that effort.
It’s worth noting that Japan is buying more than just the carrier-capable B variant. Tokyo has also ordered 105 F-35A jets, which operate from conventional runways. Together, these aircraft will give Japan unmatched flexibility and firepower in defending its territory.
And Japan isn’t alone. The British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales is scheduled to visit Japan later this year, conducting joint exercises with Japanese forces. British F-35Bs will even operate from the Kaga—another sign that the free world is uniting to push back against Chinese militarism.
This is the kind of leadership the world needs right now. Under Biden, we got lectures about “strategic patience” while China built up its navy. Under Trump, we’re seeing results—more defense spending from allies, more deterrence power in the Pacific, and a clear message to Beijing: back off.
Japan’s rearmament isn’t a threat to peace—it’s a defense of it. Peace through strength isn’t just an American idea. It’s now a Japanese reality.
And make no mistake: a more capable Japan, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States, is exactly what the world needs to keep China in check.
The Pacific is waking up. The question is: will Americans recognize the stakes before it’s too late?
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Author: rachel
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