Japan’s F-35B Deployment Signals Regional Militarization Amid Rising China Threat

Japan’s recent deployment of its first three F-35B stealth fighters to Nyutabaru Air Base in the country’s southern Miyazaki prefecture underscores a growing regional arms race fueled by Beijing’s assertive moves. While Japan is positioning itself as a responsible defender of sovereignty, these developments reveal much about the shifting balance of power in East Asia — and why America must pay close attention. The versatile F-35B jets, capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings from modified helicopter carriers like the Izumo and Kaga, represent a leap forward in Japan’s air combat capabilities. Tokyo plans to expand this fleet rapidly, aiming...