The Misconception of Japan as a Small Island Nation—and the Responsibility It Entails (Part 3)
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In 2025, the first three F-35Bs appeared at Nyutabaru Air Base. What stood beyond the runway was not merely the deployment of a new fighter. Short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft, linked to the modified Izumo and Kaga, began to present Kyushu, the Southwest Islands, and the Philippine Sea as one operational space. AP News framed the deployment as a reinforcement of southern defense, while Xinhua read it through the lens of de facto carrier operations. Their interpretations point in different directions, but they look at the same map. The Japanese archipelago is a long gate placed at the entrance to the Pacific.
