It’s official — Japan now has its first warship since World War II from which fixed-wing aircraft can operate.
The Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that it had confirmed the successful landing and departure of cutting-edge F-35B stealth fighter jets, operated by the U.S. Marines, from the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Izumo — technically a helicopter carrier — over the weekend after months of work to remodel the ship.
Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi announced the development at a regular news conference Tuesday, emphasizing that "it would contribute to improving interoperability between Japan and the United States."