Japan to deploy F-15 fighter jets to Canada, UK and Germany for 1st time

ISTANBUL

Japan will deploy F-15 fighter jets to the UK, Germany, and Canada for the first time in a two-week defense cooperation tour, Defense Chief Gen. Nakatani said Friday.

It marks the first overseas tour of Japanese fighter jets to Europe and North America under the country’s pacifist constitution.

“This embodies the common understanding that security in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions is inseparable,” Nakatani told a news conference, according to Kyodo News.

“We will seek to deepen mutual understanding with the air forces of those countries.”

The plan was revealed during a recent trip to Japan by British Defense Secretary John Healey.

Four F-15s, along with transport and refueling aircraft, will take part in the mission. Officials said the tour will not include joint training.

The aircraft will depart from Chitose Air Base in Hokkaido, with their first stop in Canada, followed by the UK and then Germany, with a stopover at a US military base in Alaska.

Japan, which hosts more than 50,000 US troops, has in recent years expanded defense cooperation with Western nations, including NATO.

Nakatani’s Defense Ministry has also requested a record 8.8 trillion yen ($59.9B) budget for the next fiscal year, with a focus on missile and drone capabilities.