Japanese government worries about Germany's desire to participate in next fighter jet, worries about development delays

The Japanese government is struggling to respond after German Chancellor Merz expressed his desire to participate in the Global Combat Aviation Program (GCAP), a joint development project for the next generation of fighter jets by Japan, the UK, and Italy. This is because there are concerns that if a new country participates, the plan will be delayed and the deployment of the first aircraft in 2035 will be disrupted.

"We would like to consider the possibility of cooperation in the production of fighter jets." German Chancellor Merz, who visited Japan, made the following statement in a joint press statement after meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the 28th. Mr. Takaichi, standing next to him, did not mention GCAP.

At a press conference on the 29th, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara acknowledged that the related exchange was a meeting, but did not provide details, saying only, ``We will work on it while taking into account the development schedule and the impact on the defense industry.''

GCAP is a plan announced by three countries in 2022. GIGO, an intergovernmental organization between Japan, Britain, and Italy, will serve as the control tower, and the joint venture company Edgewing will be in charge of design and manufacturing. It aims to be a 6th generation aircraft that combines advanced stealth and network combat capabilities.

Meanwhile, Germany initially promoted the development of the next fighter jet with France and Spain. However, the plan stalled as competition between companies for control intensified. British Prime Minister Burnham said in a meeting with Merz on the 8th that he was "positive" about Germany's participation.

However, the Japanese government's reaction has been mixed. Diplomatically, the government is calculating that it wants to attract Germany, which has been considered to be pro-China. Germany's participation would have the advantage of reducing development costs, and a senior Defense Ministry official pointed out that ``It would also be a big advantage to be able to utilize Germany's technological capabilities.''

However, the Japanese government has positioned the next fighter jet as a successor to the F-2, and its top priority is to begin deploying it in 2035, when the jet is due to be retired. Officials at the Prime Minister's Office do not hide their concerns, saying, ``If Germany comes in, the division of roles will have to be redone, and the plan will be delayed by 10 years.''

In addition to GCAP, Germany is said to be considering cooperation with Sweden. Japan is keeping Germany's involvement in its development plans to a certain extent, but the truth is that Japan does not want to lose to Sweden in the competition to sell its next fighter jet, according to a government official. Given Canada's decision to participate as an observer in GCAP, a source said, ``We have no choice but to find a place to land.''