Japan will join the U.S-led global parts-sharing system for F-35 stealth jet production, in an exception to its long-standing principle of not exporting weapons or weapon-specific parts to other countries, the government announced Friday.
Israel is among the 10 countries set to procure F-35 jets and could begin to receive parts produced by Japanese companies via the U.S.-operated Autonomic Logistics Global Sustainment program.
"By joining this system, we will be able to receive parts when necessary and maintain (high) operating rates of F-35s with proper costs," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference Friday.