Plans for Japanese-made jet trainers are vague after the Kishida-Biden summit

The Japanese aircraft industry’s desire to develop and produce a new Air Self-Defense Force jet trainer entirely in the country has faded following a White House summit between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden earlier this month.

Kishida and Biden agreed that Japan and the United States will pursue joint development and production of a jet trainer, which is expected to replace a fleet of about 200 T-4s currently owned by the ASDF.

The deal could reflect Kishida’s focus on the U.S. defense industry when he praised Japan’s contribution to the U.S. economy during the U.S. trip, people familiar with his thinking said.