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Dec 27, 2023 at 8:03 AM EST

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By Aadil Brar
China News Reporter
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Japan has published new pictures of a navy destroyer currently
undergoing modifications to become one of the country's first aircraft
carriers since World War II.

The photographs released on December 25 showed the JS Kaga, an
Izumo-class destroyer, during sea trials at an undisclosed location. The
flat-top warship is being converted from a helicopter carrier into a
light aircraft carrier, which will host fifth-generation fighter
aircraft designed in the United States.

Tokyo, the U.S.'s most important ally in Asia, is rearming with American
support as both industrial powers look to boost their defenses amid
shared security challenges posed by Beijing and Pyongyang.

The Kaga, homeported in Kure, Hiroshima, is the largest ship in the
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force fleet, alongside the class's lead
ship, the JS Izumo. The helicopter destroyers measure over 800 feet in
length and displace 27,000 tons, far smaller than the U.S. Navy's
100,000-ton nuclear-powered supercarriers.

Japan hosts the most American troops outside of U.S. territory and
boasts one of the most potent militaries in the world, backed by a heavy
industry filled with experienced defense contractors. However, the
Japanese government remains cautious about playing up its latest
advances because of the country's restrictive postwar constitution.

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JS Kaga Aircraft Carrier
The Izumo-class helicopter carrier JS Kaga is seen conducting sea trials
in this photograph released by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force on
December 25, 2023. The Kaga is in the process of being converted into a
light aircraft carrier, capable of launching and recovering the STOVL
variant of Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II.
JAPAN'S MARITIME SELF-DEFENSE FORCE
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Encouraged by Washington, with which it maintains a decades-long
security treaty, Tokyo has ramped up its defense spending to churn out
more surface vessels, submarines, fighter jets and long-range missiles.
Funds were also allocated toward major upgrades to its Izumo-class
destroyers, which are expected to host Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning
II stealth fighter.

The modifications included a heat-resistant coating on their flight
decks, which have become square and wider at the bow like the U.S.
Navy's Wasp- and America-class amphibious assault ships.

The changes were first seen on the Kaga in April at the Kure shipyard of
Japan Marine United. Last month, Japanese media said the destroyer had
begun trials at sea.

Its sister ship the Izumo underwent initial modifications in 2021 and
achieved an interoperability milestone with the U.S. Marine Corps when
an F-35B, a variant with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL)
capabilities, landed on its desk, becoming the first Japanese warship to
carry fixed-wing aircraft since World War II.

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While the comprehensive modification process is expected to be completed
by early 2027, Japan is set to receive the first of 42 F-35B fighter
jets by 2025, adding to the 105 F-35A the Japan Air Self-Defense Force
will eventually operate.

"Japan is acquiring the most F-35s of any international customer,"
Lockheed Martin says on its website.

Tensions with China have triggered a strategic shift in Japan's defense
posture, in which Tokyo's policymakers are looking beyond immediate
disputes like the contested Senkaku Islands to potentially
world-changing regional flashpoints like the Taiwan Strait.

The Japanese Defense Ministry's recent record budget request of $52.9
billion will go toward ongoing naval upgrades as well as the procurement
of F-35 jets and cruise missiles that can strike deep into enemy territory.

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About the writer
Aadil Brar
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Aadil Brar is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers
international security, U.S.-China relations, and East Asian ... read more