Japan has decided not to buy more F-2 fighters as a stopgap measure and will focus on procuring the F-35 instead.
The Japanese Defense Ministry concluded that the F-2 will not be capable enough to deal with China’s fighters and will be seeking funds to start procurement of the F-35 in fiscal 2012.
If confirmed, this will be the end of fighter production in Japan since 1955 when Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. began licensed production of the F-86.