Forum: General F-22A Raptor forum

The main reason is political - Russia still holds some Japanese islands captured at the end of WW2

NHK (Japan's government-owned news coporation) posted on their news site today:

次期戦闘機 候補は６機種に

政府は、次期主力戦闘機ＦＸとして、平成２１年度までに新しい戦闘機７機を整備する方針を決め、外国の機種からの選定を進めています。アメリカ政府の複数の当局者によりますと、先月までに日本政府から候補機を欧米の６つの機種に絞ったと連絡があり、このうちアメリカ製の４機種について性能などを問う質問書が国防当局に送られてきたということです。４つの機種は、Ｆ２２Ａラプターと、ＦＡ１８スーパーホーネット、Ｆ１５の改良型に加え、米英両国などが共同開発しているＦ３５です。このうちＦ２２Ａは、アメリカの最新鋭機で、防衛庁内に待望論が出ていますが、アメリカの議会は軍事機密にあたるとして外国への輸出を承認していません。アメリカ政府の当局者は、北朝鮮の核実験などを受けて地域の安定への懸念が強まるなか、日米が連携を図るうえでＦＸにはアメリカ機がふさわしいと強調しており、Ｆ２２Ａについても日本側の要請が強まれば対日輸出の許可をあらためて議会に求めることになるという見通しを明らかにしました。ＦＸの候補機が絞り込まれたことを受けて、日本政府は今年度中に調査員をアメリカなどに派遣することにしており、選定作業が本格化しています。

10月23日 6時10分


My grasp of japanese is pretty basic, but from what I can read it seems that they still have their fighter choices narrowed down to 6 aircraft (F-15X, F-22, F-35, F/A-18, and "two european aircraft"), and they will be sending an official to the USA and other competing countries by the end of the year to make a decision. There is something in there too about the F-22 and North Korea's recent nuclear tests, and asking for permission from the USA about something if the request for the F-22 becomes strong, but I can't put it all together. Can someone help me out here please?

Well, I used a language translator. If anyone can rearrange this, fell free to do so.


As for FX candidacy in 6 types Government decides the policy of servicing fighter plane 7 it is new by 2009 as a next term leading fighter plane FX, is advancing the selection from the type of foreign country. According to the group of authorities people of the American government, that to last month the candidacy machine was squeezed to six types of Europe and America from the Japanese government, there was communication, it means that the questionnaire which questions efficiency and the like concerning 4 types of America make among these was sent to the national defense authorities. Four types are F35 which American both countries and the like develop jointly F22A ラプター and the FA18 super hornet, in addition to the improved of F15. Among F22A these, with the latest and most powerful machine of America, long-awaited theory has emerged into Defense Agency, but the American national assembly assuming that it hits to military secret, has not approved the export to the foreign country. The authorities person of the American government, receiving the North Korean nuclear test, and the like while anxiety to stability of area strengthens, when Japan and America assure cooperation, has emphasized, that the American machine is suitable in FX, if request of the Japanese side strengthens concerning F22A it made the prospect that clear it means freshly to seek permission of toward Japan export from the national assembly. Accepting the fact that the candidacy machine of FX is squeezed, the Japanese government has done to the thing which dispatches the investigator to America and the like during this year, selection job has materialized. October 23rd 6:10

The last sentence shows that they are actively asking for information on the F-22 because the ban on F-22 FMS was overturned after the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea set off their flashbulb.

Really? Or is this what they think or hope?

Man, that was tough to read! LOL!

As for a "Dumbed Down" version. I thought that was the F-35. The F-35 is a great platform (stop the spear throwing), but it's not the F-22.