Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-15J fighters will deploy to Europe and the U.K., marking the first time Japanese military aircraft have been stationed on the continent as part of expanding defense cooperation with the United Kingdom.
The future deployment was announced on Aug. 28 during talks between U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey and Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen in Tokyo, where the two countries issued their joint defense ministerial statement and agreed to strengthen security cooperation across multiple domains.
“The U.K. and Japan are entering a golden age of defense cooperation,” Healey said during a joint press conference following the meeting at Japan’s Defense Ministry.
The Japanese fighter deployment comes as a U.K. Carrier Strike Group is currently visiting Japan through Sept. 2 as part of Operation Highmast, the UK’s Indo-Pacific deployment. During the visit, British F-35B aircraft conducted their first landing on the Japanese warship JS Kaga, demonstrating growing interoperability between the two forces.
The two countries have also committed to accelerating work on the Global Combat Air Program, a trilateral fighter jet development project with Italy. They aim to conclude the first international contract between the program’s government organization and industry partners by the end of 2025, with aircraft delivery targeted for 2035.
Healey’s visit to Japan coincided with the U.K. Carrier Strike Group’s port call, part of broader efforts to demonstrate commitment to Indo-Pacific security. Britain has positioned itself as a key European partner in the region as concerns grow about China’s military modernization and territorial claims.
The two countries plan to hold their next Foreign and Defense Ministers’ Meeting in the U.K. in 2026, continuing the “2+2” dialogue format that includes both defense and diplomatic officials.
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