Though the decision was likely made before Mr. Kim’s death, which was announced Monday, a deal would strengthen the American-Japan security partnership at a time when Tokyo is increasingly nervous about regional instability and about China’s rising military might.
Japan’s choice of the F-35 over jets from Boeing and a BAE-led consortium also comes as a victory for Lockheed Martin, whose stealth fighter program has been plagued by delays and is facing scrutiny from American lawmakers.
“The F-35 Program Office looks forward to strengthening partnerships with Japan, and contributing to enhanced security throughout the Asia-Pacific region,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
Under the deal, the details of which are still being worked out, Japan would buy 42 aircraft. The total deal is valued at more than $7 billion, according to Reuters.
Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa said the jets would help Tokyo adjust to rising security challenges in Asia after North Korea’s announcement of Mr. Kim’s death. Japanese officials fear the transition from Mr. Kim to his son, Kim Jong-un, could bring fresh volatility to the region.
Underscoring those fears, North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile Monday, though it was unclear whether the test was related to Mr. Kim’s death.
Japan also has longstanding territorial disputes with Russia, as well as with China, which has flexed its military might in recent years. Of particular concern to Japanese defense officials has been Beijing’s own next-generation stealth fighter, the Chengdu J-20, which the regime is testing as an eventual rival to the most advanced American fighters.
The rising tensions have made Tokyo more reliant on Washington, its main ally, analysts say. The United States stations about 50,000 troops in Japan under a security pact. Relations between the allies had been tested after the Democratic Party took power in 2009 and declared it wished to redraw ties on a more equal footing, including possibly moving a contentious air base off a populated southern island.
But on Tuesday, President Obama and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of Japan reaffirmed their security alliance in a phone call, the White House said.
Japanese contractors Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, IHI and Mitsubishi Electric are set to participate in the production and maintenance of the F-35, according to the Defense Ministry. But Japanese companies are likely to be excluded from work on the sensitive and more lucrative stealth and radar capabilities of the fighters.
Tokyo’s ban on exports of military equipment also means Japanese contractors could not become global suppliers to the F-35 stealth fighter program. The F-35 is the Pentagon’s biggest weapons procurement program, costing $238 billion.
The F-35, which is still in an early production stage, beat out Boeing’s F/A-18 and the Eurofighter Typhoon, made by a consortium of European companies including BAE Systems. Japan has 362 fighter jets, mostly F-15s, F-4s and F-2s, according to the Associated Press. The new fighters would replace the F-4s.
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