Regarding Jochen Legewie's July 13 article "Japanese choices in aviation market reveal overreliance on U.S.": Being a pilot and aviation enthusiast, I was interested in this article, but as I began reading, my excitement faded to disappointment. The article was a biased bashing of the U.S. aviation industry.
I don't argue with the primary premise of the article, because I am not an economist or defense specialist. I do object to the reasoning and lack of evidence. The most frustrating is the comparison of the Airbus A380 with the Boeing 787. These are two completely different aircraft, built for different missions. The 787 is for the small, efficient jet market, which is the direction the airline industry has taken in the last few years. The A380, also an engineering marvel, is the largest airliner on the market — so large that only a few airports are large enough for it.
The author cites 787 production delays without mentioning the numerous delays and order cancellations associated with the A380 — not to mention that up to 35 percent of the 787 is built right here in Japan. As for the F-22 versus Euro fighter debate, unless you are part of Japan's Air Self-Defense Force or have inside information, it's hard to make a comparison and form an opinion on which would be right for the desired mission applications. If the author has specific information indicating that the Euro fighter is better, he should cite it.
There is no mention of Japan's aircraft industry. Although not known for jetliners and modern fighters, it perhaps should be viewed as an option. What the author proposes is trading dependence on the United States for dependence on Europe.