The Defense Ministry intends to choose the F-35 fighter jet, jointly being developed by the United States, Britain, Australia and six other countries, as the next frontline fighter plane in the Air Self-Defense Force's arsenal, it has been learned.
The ministry will officially name the advanced F-35 as a successor to the ASDF's current F-4 fighter jet Friday at a meeting of the Security Council of Japan led by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.