U.S. deploys F-22 fighters to Yokota base in Japan

[F-22Raptor]

The U.S. Air Force has flown 14 F-22 stealth fighters to Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo, the Japanese Defense Ministry said Friday.

The arrival of the latest model of stealth fighters follows North Korea’s nuclear test on Jan. 6 and the victory of Tsai Ing-wen, an independence-leaning opposition leader, in Taiwan’s presidential election last Saturday. China regards the self-ruled democratic island as a renegade province.

Eight F-22s landed at the base on Wednesday, four on Thursday and two on Friday, according to the ministry.

The Japanese government was not given prior notice of the deployment of the fighter jets, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said.

When the ministry inquired about the arrival of the fighters, the United States replied the Air Force would temporarily deploy a total of 26 F-22 and F-16 fighters at the Yokota base from Wednesday to Friday.

The deployment was part of the “usual practice of security cooperation between Japan and the United States,” Nakatani said.

“As North Korea’s nuclear test clearly shows, the security environment around our country has become increasingly severe,” he said.

“The deterrence provided by the U.S. military based on the Japan-U.S. alliance is indispensable for our country’s security.”

U.S. deploys F-22 fighters to Yokota base in Japan | The Japan Times

 

[asia2000]

It seems nobody is excited about F22 anymore?

 

[DoTell]

Yes, indeed. For Japanese, you have to beat them very hard to have them respect you.

"Japan is a country of 12-year-olds" -- Douglas MacArthur

MacArthur led the U.S. in defeating Japan. The Japanese treated him like God during the U.S. occupation. When he left hundreds of thousands of Japanese took on the street to pay worship.

This says it all

Yet, Kizaki grew to respect his boss. “He was criticized for saying the Japanese were ‘a nation of 12 year olds.’ But he was expressing that Japan worships the victor; that ‘the winner is the good guy and the loser is the bad guy’ mentality. MacArthur was like a new emperor; he was welcomed. And he was a ruler that wanted to make Japan better. He worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the Japanese people. Almost never taking a day off.”

Exclusive: From Internment Camp to MacArthur’s Aide in Rebuilding Japan - The Daily Beast