The central government has informed the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture that 16 F-35 fighters will be deployed at the U.S. military base in the first half of next year.

It will reportedly be the first overseas deployment of the F-35. High-ranking officials from the Defense and Foreign ministries visited Iwakuni and informed Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda as well as Yamaguchi Gov. Tsugumasa Muraoka of the plan on Monday. Ten F-35 jets are to be deployed in January, followed by another six in August.

Fukuda told Shunsuke Takei, parliamentary vice foreign minister, and Hiroyuki Miyazawa, parliamentary vice defense minister, that his city was frustrated by the lack of information provided by the central government and called for details to be given to them in a "swift" manner.