Japan has listed Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as the main contractor for manufacturing the next generation of fighter jets, and the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced earlier on Friday that it has signed a contract with the company. In a brief statement posted on its website, the Ministry of National Defense stated, "We will work steadily with the company to advance the development of the next generation fighter jet (F-X). According to local media reports, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi stated that the country will select an overseas partner by the end of this year to collaborate on aircraft technology, with stealth technology and sensors being one of the key areas. Given Japan's determination to restart its domestic fighter capabilities, it is not surprising that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has been chosen as the main contractor for the F-X project. This company is the only one in Japan with experience in this area. In the recent ranking of the top 100 global defense companies by Defense News, the company ranks 21st.

Reuters previously reported that the contract value of this aircraft is as high as $40 billion. Defense News requested the latest information on the contract value from the Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency of the Ministry of National Defense via email, but as of the time of press, no response has been received. The Ministry of Defense is also seeking more funding for F-X research and development in its latest budget application submitted to the Ministry of Finance at the end of September. The Ministry of National Defense has requested $555.8 million for the main project, and an additional $113.6 million for the development of fighter subsystems such as radar and mission system integration. This funding will enable Japan to continue its research and development work in fighter jet technology, despite the completion of Mitsubishi F-2 fighter production and the decision to purchase Lockheed Martin's F-35. Japan has maintained this technology for the past 10 years. The country plans to continue its work, including developing and improving stealth designs and materials, active electronically scanned array radar, and afterburner turbofan engines. Therefore, local engine manufacturer IHI is expected to continue researching its XF9-1 afterburner turbofan engine.