China’s military modernisation has pushed Japan to develop its own stealth fighter, analysts say

Defence ministry has chosen a contractor to develop the new F-X warplane as part of a programme to upgrade its ageing fleet

Beijing’s aggressive behaviour is seen as the ‘primary catalyst’ for Tokyo’s move

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The Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin prototype was first flown in 2016 and has been used to put stealth fighter technologies to the test. Photo: Wikipedia

Published: 12:00pm, 7 Nov 2020Updated: 9:24pm, 7 Nov 2020

China’s military advances have pushed rival Japan to build its first domestically designed stealth fighter, a move that is expected to add to uncertainty in the region, analysts say.

The new F-X is part of a programme to upgrade the ageing Japanese fighter jet fleet amid growing threats from neighbouring China and North Korea.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has been chosen as the main contractor to develop the stealth fighter, which is to be launched in the 2030s, Japan’s defence ministry said in a statement last week.

It will replace the F-2 – an aircraft developed with the US that is due to be retired around 2035 – and will draw on American aerospace technology and know-how, according to Popular Mechanics magazine.

But the project is still at an early stage, with the defence ministry seeking 58.7 billion yen (US$560.9 million) in the 2021 budget for research to develop the aircraft.

A prototype, the Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin, was first flown in 2016 and has been used to put stealth fighter technologies to the test. It is smaller and lighter than the J-20, China’s most advanced fighter jet which has entered service in small numbers but has been dogged by engine development problems.