Japan is sending fighter jets to Europe in its boldest military deployment since World War II. The deployment, announced last month in Tokyo, underscores the growing relationship between Tokyo and key NATO allies, as a more assertive Japan assumes a significant role in global security arrangements.
“Japan is the U.K.’s closest security ally in Asia, and I know Japan sees Britain as its closest security partner in Europe,” said John Healey, secretary of State for Britain, in a speech in Tokyo at the Pacific Future Forum announcing the deployment on Aug. 29.
In his same remarks, he criticized Russia and its ties to “North Korea for troops, Iran for drones, and China for technology, equipment, and weapons components.”
His comments were echoed in an official communique put out by the two countries regarding the deployment. Japanese planners are increasingly concerned about the impact of the war in Ukraine on Asian geopolitics. Tokyo and Moscow fought two bloody wars in the 20th century, the Russo-Japanese War and World War II.
Britain’s own conflict with Japan in that later conflict is still within living memory. However, the countries have also had decades of close relations.
The last time Japanese combat forces deployed to Europe was during the height of World War I, when Japanese warships escorted Allied convoys and hunted German and Austrian submarines.
The symbolism of Japan again dispatching forces to Europe underscores how far Tokyo has moved from its postwar pacifist stance.
Last month, British F-35 fighter jets landed on a Japanese carrier in another historic first. Japan has agreed to send F-15J fighters to Britain and Germany and Kawasaki C-2 transport craft in a supporting role in the mission. Until now, only the U.S. has enjoyed such a close defensive relationship with Japan.
“Japan will select its most modernized F-15J/DJ aircraft for the deployment, compatible with NATO standards,” said Akhil Kadidal, an Asian Affairs analyst with Janee’s Information Services, a private intelligence firm. “This could mean the selection of aircraft (and personnel) from various squadrons in JASDF.”
The Japanese deployment could begin as early as this month and could coincide with next week’s visit of President Trump to Britain on Wednesday. How long the Japanese forces will remain in Britain remains unclear. A British government source speaking on background said that the Japanese force is not currently scheduled to be involved in any NATO or British exercises.
Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Japan has participated in several NATO maneuvers and in January of this year appointed its first dedicated diplomatic mission to NATO — a first among NATO’s partner nations in the Indo-Pacific.
The agreement comes as both sides have jointly signed onto the Global Combat Air Program with Italy. This trilateral effort seeks to build a twin-engine sixth-generation fighter aircraft, which is envisioned as working closely with unmanned aerial combat systems as well. The yet unnamed jet is envisioned as contemporary to a number of sixth-generation fighter jet projects under development by the U.S. military, such as the Boeing F-47.
The headquarters for the trilateral project opened this summer near London.
The Global Combat Air Programme marks the first time since 1945 that Japan has entered a major defense-industrial venture with a non-U.S. partner. Edgewing, a consortium including BAE Systems (Britain), Leonardo (Italy), and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Company, will run the program.
Earlier this year, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said more transparent technology sharing among the partners was needed. The minister, who is a leading voice in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, said in an interview with Reuters that “selfishness is the worst enemy of nations.”
Accusations of selfishness aside, many nations are keen to join the project in the future, with Saudi Arabia being one potential partner in the project, according to media reports. Other European and Asian countries are also supposedly interested in the project.
The first international contracts between the governments and private companies are expected to be signed this year. The first deliveries of the new warplane are scheduled for 2035.
