Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) both announced on 21 October that a U.S. Navy (USN) Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II multirole fighter aircraft have successfully landed on the deck of Japan’s Izumo-class multi-functional destroyer JS Kaga (DDH-184) for the first time on 20 October off the southern coast of California.

The JMSDF helicopter carrier JS Kaga will conduct flight operations with F-35B Lightning II aircraft in California from October 5 to November 18.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has begun sea trials of its helicopter carrier JS Kaga (DDH 184) after undergoing major modifications of the vessel to operate the F-35B fighter jets, the JMSDF announced on December 25.