I agree with your appraisal of restarting the F-22 line, but I disagree with your assessment that allying with the ROK would be a sign of desperation. It would be an acknowledgment of the reality that both nations need each other if they are going to have any chance of withstanding China’s drive for regional hegemony. That’s the key issue.
There have already been a number of positive developments along that lines, including talk of a three way defense pack among Japan, ROK and India, but there is obviously some residual reluctance among Japanese and Korean military members to get too close.
That residual animosity, however, is fading rapidly among the younger officers and is not even a factor anymore among the young generation itself — in either country — who follow each other’s fashion trends, watch each other’s animes and even co-host bilingual versions of the same popular television shows.
As for the Eurofighter, I just don’t see it happening. Europe is a long ways away, the EU experiment is on the ropes, Muslim immigration and radicalization is a frightening specter...
Nope. If they can’t get the F-22 and if the F-35 boondoggle finally comes crashing down under it’s own weight, the F-15SE, jointly produced in both Korea and Japan, would be a proverbial godsend.
I feel that the USA will be withdrawing throughout the world. We’re broke. Japan may have no choice but to reinforce ROK as we withdraw. They’ll need a air-superiority fighter that the enemy is unfamiliar with, to gain a advantage, which I consider the Eurofighter. Plus this’ll help them gain a new ally. Europe isn’t as helpless as they’ve made themseleves out to be. They have German armed forces and French nukes. We’ve really been protecting Eastearn europe and peace. Japan is really in a bad position and may align Russia. Don’t see them ever aligning w China.