This December, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) plans to announce which of the three competing aircraft will replace its antiquated F-4s, aircraft that were first purchased back in the late 1960s. In the running for the 45 or so fighters to be acquired are Boeing’s F/A 18, the Eurofighter Typhoon, and Lockheed Martin’s F-35—the stealthy “Joint Strike Fighter” currently in the final stages of development. Although either the F-18 or the Typhoon would be a substantial and needed upgrade for the Japanese air fleet, the acquisition of the F-35 would present an opportunity for Japan to acquire a transformational military capability, begin to address the growing imbalance in air power in the region as a result of China’s own military modernization program, and to reaffirm alliance ties with the United States.