Japan, U.S. hold F-35 stealth fighter joint drill for 1st time

Japan's Air Self-Defense Force said Tuesday it conducted its first joint exercise with the U.S. Air Force involving their respective F-35A advanced stealth fighter jets.The drill over the Sea of Japan off northeastern Japan on March 10 marked "a major milestone in the improvement of the ASDF's ability and Japan-U.S. joint response capabilities," Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters.The air-to-air combat training conducted west of Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture involved four F-35As from Japan and four from the United States.Japan has begun deploying F-35As to boost the country's…READ FULL ARTICLE