TOKYO -- Japan is giving strong consideration to positioning new F-35B stealth fighter jets on the southern island of Kyushu, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi indicated Tuesday, a move that would beef up deterrence against China's increasingly frequent maritime forays in the East China Sea.
The Air Self-Defense Force's Nyutabaru Air Base in Miyazaki Prefecture in southern Kyushu "is certainly a leading candidate," Kishi told reporters. Tokyo aims to bring the planes into service in 2024.
