Fra BBC i morges: Japan velger F-35

US Lockheed Martin F-35 chosen as Japan fighter jet

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter deal is worth some $8bn (5bn) over several years

Japan has chosen the US-made F-35 stealth fighter jet to replace its aging F-4s as the mainstay of its air defence fleet.
Tokyo announced it would buy a total of 42 of the Joint Strike Fighters from defence giant Lockheed Martin, in a deal worth some $8bn (£5bn).
The jet was chosen over the Eurofighter Typhoon and Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet.
The announcement comes amid regional uncertainty following the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
There is also growing concern in Japan about China's increasing military might. In recent months, Japan has said it is bolstering its coastal defences after warning of an increase in Chinese naval activity in the region.
Japanese Defence Minister Yasuo Ichikawa said the security environment in which the fighters would operate was undergoing a transformation, but that the F-35 had "capabilities that can firmly respond to the changes". Foto: LM