Overview
- The Defense Ministry launched F-35B flight training on November 4 at Nyutabaru Air Base in Shintomi, Miyazaki.
- Five aircraft have been deployed to the base so far, with three arriving in August and two on October 28.
- Officials reversed earlier plans to conduct vertical-landing practice at Mageshima, deciding in February to do it at Nyutabaru because of construction delays.
- Ministry measurements from a September demonstration recorded up to 105.2 decibels at a home about 3.5 kilometers from the landing point, exceeding readings from F-15s at the same location.
- The ministry proposed limited steps such as partially reducing nighttime vertical-landing counts and pledged continued talks, while planning to expand to about eight aircraft this fiscal year and roughly 40 by around fiscal 2031, with about 20 F-15s to remain for training.