WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military plans to resume the permanent deployment of fighter jets at an American base in Okinawa but with fewer planes than before, Nikkei Asia has learned, drawing mixed reactions from lawmakers and experts as the threat posed by China grows.
The U.S. Air Force began in 2022 a phased withdrawal of around 48 aging F-15 Eagle fighters permanently assigned to Kadena Air Base on the main Okinawa island in Japan. To fill the gap until a long-term plan for future posture is devised, the Air Force has been sending F-35, F-22 and other fighters as part of a rotational force.
