News Alert - Japan Self Defense Force Deployed F-35s To Counter China & Russia Increasing Territorial Aggression
Japan's defense minister has instructed Air Self-Defense Force personnel to take steps to strengthen the country's defense.
Itsunori Onodera spoke on Saturday at an event at the ASDF's Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan, to mark the deployment of an F-35 stealth fighter at the base.
The aircraft is the first of 42 F-35s that are to be introduced in Japan as its next-generation mainstay fighter.
Onodera said China and Russia have increased their military activities around Japan. He said the deployment of the F-35s has great significance as Japan is facing its most severe security environment since World War Two.
Onodera also touched on Japan's plan to equip the aircraft with long-range Joint Strike Missiles, which can travel 500 kilometers.
The minister said the F-35's stealth capability and the long-range missiles will allow the Self-Defense Forces to counter aggression outside the range of enemy defense systems, while securing the safety of SDF crews.
He later told reporters that it is important for Japan to strengthen its air defense. He said the government will take that into account when reviewing the National Defense Program Outline.
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