So when do the Japanese start buying F-35Bs?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...071000106.html
A Defense Agency spokeswoman, however, said Japan has no offensive
weapons such as ballistic missiles that could reach North Korea. Its
forces only have ground-to-air missiles and ground-to-vessel missiles,
she said on condition of anonymity because of official policy.
....
"Even if Japan's planes made it to North Korea, they wouldn't make it
back ... it would be an act of suicide," he said. "Japan has no
capacity to wage war."

And it's unheard of for Japanese pilots to make suicide attacks, no?

Actually they could ditch and be picked up by helicopter, but it's a
darned expensive way to wage war.

But the Japanese will soon have the range to strike North Korea, or even
China.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/produit/58306_us.html
The first Japan KC-767J is scheduled for delivery in December 2006.

The Japan KC-767J tanker is a military derivative of the proven
767-200ER commercial airplane. It will be configured with the advanced
Boeing air refueling boom and an advanced Remote Aerial Refueling
Operator II system.

-HJC