In a technical advance off San Diego, a U.S. Navy F-35B strike fighter landed on a Japanese aircraft carrier for the first time over the weekend, proving that the two allies can jointly use one of the world’s most sophisticated jets.

Due to the ongoing dispute over the Kuril Islands, Japan has been in a formal state of tension with Russia for years. The Kaijō Jieitai, or the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, recently showcased the first landing of an F-35B on the deck of the JS Kaga during sea trials near San Diego.

Short take-off and landing stealth fighters from a US Navy test squadron made the F-35s type's first landing on the JS Kaga - a converted helicopter carrier officially labelled as a multi-functional destroyer by Tokyo and Washington.

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's helicopter destroyer JS Kaga (DDH-184) arrived in San Diego shrouded in dense fog, marking the start of F-35B Lightning II training operations with the U.S.

The Maritime Self-Defense Force is conducting tests to determine if there are issues with such aircraft taking off from the vessel while verifying other procedures.

A U.S. fifth-generation fighter jet landed on a Japanese helicopter destroyer this week, bringing Japan one step closer to taking its own advanced stealth fighters to sea.

By bno - Tokyo Office In a significant advancement for Japan's naval capabilities, a US military F-35B stealth fighter jet successfully landed on the Japanese destroyer Kaga off the coast of San Diego on October 20.

Japan has remained in a formal state of war with Russia for years due to the dispute over the Kuril Islands. The Kaijō Jieitai, or Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, celebrated the first landing of an F-35B on the deck of the JS Kaga during sea trials off the coast of San Diego.