Sign of Japan's ambitions
Japan's recent test flight of its first domestically developed X-2 stealth fighter jet has sparked extensive speculation about its intentions.
Theoretically, the maiden flight of the X-2 makes Japan the fourth country after the United States, Russia and China to successfully produce a stealth fighter.
Given that the US has refused to sell F-22 stealth fighters to Japan and only agreed to sell it less sophisticated F-35 jets, analysts believe that the X-2 is partly aimed at changing Washington's attitude and enhancing its own status in the Asian security landscape.
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