Japan moving to introduce de facto aircraft carrier

An Izumo-class destroyer.

By Lee Min-hyung

Japan is on track to introduce a de facto offensive aircraft carrier by changing its description, because under its post-war Constitution the country is not allowed to operate warships with flight decks for attack aircraft.

According to reports, the Japanese government is pushing ahead with its plan to retrofit its Izumo-class vessel by thickening its deck in a move to accommodate F-35B stealth fighter jets.

But because the plan is an apparent violation of the country's pacifist constitution, Japan is seeking to change the description of the de facto aircraft carrier to a “multi-purpose operation destroyer.”

Tokyo claims the multi-purpose vessel is not aimed at possible military provocation, but to enhance the nation's defense capabilities in case of emergency.

Defense Minister Minister Takeshi Iwaya also hinted at the possibility of retrofitting at least one of its two Izumo destroyers to enable F-35B jets to take off and land on the vessel.

“It is desirable for us to use valuable equipment for as many purposes as possible,” Iwaya told a recent press conference.

The 27,000-ton Izumo-class vessel is 248 meters long and can accommodate 14 helicopters.

The move is part of the ongoing arms race between Tokyo and Beijing. China recently unveiled its plan to introduce a third aircraft carrier, which Japan believes will pose a serious security threat across Asia.

According to the Asahi Shimbun, it remains to be seen when Japan will be able to refit the Izumo-class vessel into an offensive aircraft carrier due to the Article 9 of the constitution.

“The 248-meter-long vessel will be reliant on its complement of F-35Bs, exceeding the defensive nature as specified in the constitution,” the paper said Thursday.

“An issue on how to maintain compatibility of use with the war-renouncing Article 9 of the constitution will likely remain a problem with the Izumo-class vessel becoming a de facto offensive aircraft carrier, the first in the Japanese fleet,” it said.

Apart from the issue of domestic law, Tokyo's move will also likely face opposition from its neighboring countries despite the country's repeated claim that the retrofitting is for defense.

This is because aircraft carriers are widely seen as attack weapons across the globe. The country is also known to be considering introducing about 100 F-35s in the near future, according to the Nikkei.

If the country retrofits the vessel and introduces the jets, this would put Japan's aerial power on par with that of China.