Spotlight on Pacific waters, where i F-35 fighter jet America takes off Japanese aircraft carrier JS Kagawhich is a significant step in cooperation between United States of America And Japan. The event, which took place aboard a Japanese ship during a series of joint exercises between the two countries, marked the first operational launch of an F-35 from a Japanese aircraft carrier, and represented a step forward in Tokyo’s defense capabilities and a direct response to rising tensions in the Asian region. Kaga, one of the Japanese Navy’s most powerful warships, has been modified to accommodate modern F-35 fighters, a move that represents a significant upgrade for Japan.
New synergy between America and Japan
Originally designed to operate with anti-submarine defense helicopters, the carriers have undergone modifications to enable such operations fifth generation stealth fighterthe same which is capable of operating at long distances by hitting targets with high precision. The use of F-35s on the Kaga ship, he explained Newsweekhighlighting the intensification of military cooperation between Tokyo and Washington, but also the increasing assertiveness of Japan’s defense policy. The move comes at a difficult geopolitical time, with tensions in the Pacific continuing to rise.
On one side, China has intensified its military presence in South China Sea and consolidate control over disputed territories, while on the other hand, North Korea continued its nuclear weapons and missile programs, thereby raising the concerns of neighboring countries. The response of the United States and its allies in Asia was not long in coming: as American forces intensified operations in the region, Japan strengthened its defense capacity, aiming to build a military force that was no longer limited to the defense of its own territory, but also extended to international waters and trade routes important for global security.
Washington’s move
According to reports from the First Marine Aircraft Wing, a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based on the Japanese island of Okinawa, at least four US F-35B jets were deployed aboard the Kaga during military maneuvers that took place on October 19. war training, Annual Training or ANNUALEX, carried out in Philippine Sea with troops from the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, France and New Zealand, with the aim of increasing readiness and preventing instability and aggression in the region, the US Navy said.
The presence of the F-35 in Kaga is not only symbolic as a sign of power, but also as a sign of changes in Japan’s defense policy. After decades of pacifism and a pacifist constitution that limited the presence of Japanese armed forces abroad, Japan began to review its defense capabilities.
Overall, the takeoff of F-35s from a Japanese carrier represents a new phase in Pacific defense, but it is also a clear message to other regional players: Tokyo is ready to play a more active and assertive role in regional security, with the full support of the United States.
