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An interview with Lieutenant General Hidetoshi Hirata, commander of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's Southwestern Composite Air Division based in Okinawa, Japan is presented. When asked whether the Japan Air Self-Defense Force will adopt the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars for its F-15s, he states that they will upgrade nearly 90 F-15Js, but AESA is not part of it. He notes that since they can only have limited number of fighters, they should have stealth for survivability and a good radar for cruise missile detection.

The article reports that the production of Lockheed Martin Corp.'s stealth fighter lines may be interrupted by unfriendly congressional funding and poor export prospects of F-22. The chances of securing congressional approval of a three-year contract for a batch of 60 U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors continues to be bleak. U.S. Senate heavyweights remain ranged against the F-22 multiyear purchase , as also Japan accepting the price structure of the F 22 aircrafts.

The article looks at the resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, focusing on how his inexperience with defense programs has damaged the image of Japan's Democratic Party. Hatoyama's decision to uphold a 2006 agreement with the U.S. and allow U.S. Marines to be stationed in Okinawa, Japan, is reviewed. Aims of Japan's defense agency are discussed, including the upgrading of F-15J jet fighters.

The article reports that the U.S. will deploy an increased number F-22 and F-15 jet fighter planes on U.S. Air Force bases on Okinawa, Japan. The fighter planes are expected to increase the anti-missile forces already stationed on Okinawa. Concerns over possible aggressive actions by North Korea were cited by U.S. military officers.

An interview with Colonel Tanotsu Kidono, head of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Air Staff's Defense Plans, Policies and Programs Division, is presented. When asked how he intends to introduce the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the whole spectrum of military operations, he states that they are considering the long-term implications for the JASDF. He also notes that they may have an international support mission in the future.

The article reports on the problems facing the Japanese government with regard to its military aeronautics. It states that although Japan has modernized with Aegis destroyers and Patriot PAC-3 interceptors to counter ballistic missiles, the military does not have a supersonic cruise fighter like the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor to chase down cruise missiles and replace the geriatric F-4J Phantoms.

An interview with Major General Hidetoshi Hirata of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is presented. He states that ensuring that there is no lack of air power within the airspace of the nation is the most important consideration in selecting the design for the F-X fighter aircraft. He notes the importance of stealth to air defense and air-to-air engagements. He also mentions that the air operations of JASDF are focused on the air defense of the country.

The article reports on the plan of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to relocate its Air Defense Command (ADC) headquarters to the U.S.-staffed Yokota Air Base in Tokyo. It states that the headquarters of ADC will be linked to the U.S. Air Force's (USAF) Air Operations Center by an underground passage. A bilateral information-sharing task force has been established due to the quantity of information to be shared by Japan and the U.S.

The article focuses on the efforts of Japan to modernize its military. Japanese and U.S. analysts claim that the growing realization within Japan's defense ministry that F-22 may not be the fighter aircraft the agency needs is one indication of the nation's increasing military sophistication. A Japanese defense official states that the agency is interested in stealth and supercruise aircraft for patrolling their territory.

The article reports that the Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) used by the U.S. in shooting down a classified U.S. intelligence satellite will not be used as an antisatellite missile but is designed to counter longer-range ballistic missile threats. Following a contract announcement last December 2007, negotiations are proceeding between the U.S. and Japan over workshare on a multibillion-dollar effort to upgrade the missile that was used February 20, 2008 to intercept a wayward satellite prior to deorbiting.

The article reports on the defense strategies of Japan. Japan's selection of its new F-X fighter is now coming up against bureaucracy. The country would not rely on the U.S. to meet all its offensive military tasks. It will be looking for stealth, precision weapons and advanced sensors such as active, electronically-scanned array (AESA) radars that can locate, identify and target small objects such as stealthy cruise missiles.

The article reports on the shift in Japan's strategy to deal with threats posed by the weapon systems of China and North Korea. Since July 5, 2006, when North Korea fired a flurry of missiles into the sea, Japan and the U.S. have been scrambling to cobble together a new fused defense that monitors the airspace from ocean surface to space. New PAC-3 Patriot missiles and advanced Aegis air-defense missile ships have been fielded by both countries.

The article reports on the need of Japan for more defense options due to the threats posed by the weapon systems of China, North Korea and Russia. North Korea continues to build and test ballistic missiles that could strike Japan. China is preparing two new cruise missile designs, one for bombers and another smaller weapon for carriage by strike fighters, say senior Pacific Air Forces officials. Russia is in the final stages of testing the stealthy, new Raduga Kh-102 cruise missile.

The article considers the motives behind the decision of Japan to acquire the Lockheed Martin F-22 airplane. A low-key campaign is underway in Japan to add stealth to the nation's defense arsenal by acquiring the Lockheed Martin F-22. U.S. aerospace industry officials say they are beginning to see a plan in Japan's actions since Congress recently prohibited foreign F-22 sales.

This article deals with the quest of Japanese military officials to acquire the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. Access, however, is far from assured, with the U.S. Congress requiring oversight and approval of any plan for foreign sale of the stealth fighter. Japan also faces the cost of integrating an anti-tamper kit on key technologies, including hardware and software, on the F-22. But Japanese officials are determined to accept only the most sophisticated fighter technology.

States that North Korea is racing to complete another test of its multi-stage Taepo dong 1 missile before the end of 1998. Ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles being one of the country's few potential high-dollar exports; Relations with Japan; Comments of Yoshiki Hidaka, a visiting senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and star of `Mr. Hidaka's Report from Washington,' on TV in Tokyo; Japan's reluctance to move ahead with missile defenses.

The article reports that Japan still wants to purchase the Lockheed Martin F-22 and that the U.S. does not expect the new Japanese government under the Democratic Party to create radical, near-term changes. Japan's desire to acquire the F-22 is based on its belief that the speed, altitude, stealth, precision bombing and long-range electronic surveillance capabilities of the aircraft will support air bases in Okinawa. It explores how Japan's desire to own the F-22 affect the relations between Japan and the U.S.

The article focuses on issues confronting Japan in pursuing its F-X fighter competition. Contenders are expecting that a request for proposal will be launched by the end of 2009 or in the first quarter of 2010. If the proposal is not released, it is expected that the program will again experience a further 12-month delay. Four of five candidates emerged as potential contenders for the program and these include Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor, Eurofighter's Typhoon and Boeing's F-15.

The article reports that while celebrating delivery to the U.S. Navy of the first F/A-18E/Fs equipped with a stealth and small-target-detecting radar, Boeing Co. officials said that Switzerland, Japan and India are looking at both the advanced fighter and some variant of its classified advanced radar for a future fighter purchase. More surprisingly, Navy officials say they are planning for the possibility of their own additional fighter production because of the expectation, not yet confirmed, that operational introduction of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will slip. They believe there is a realistic chance of obtaining export license approval to sell the aircraft with some version of the new APG-79 active electronically scanned array radar that is just now being delivered to the Navy. In an associated program, the Air Force has developed an AIM-120C-6 Amraam missile with a warhead tailored to strike small, slow targets head-on.