Japan impressed with the F-35's stealth.

That's right.  Japan is impressed with the F-35's stealth!  Read it and weep critics.  via the Telegraph.

Defence analysts monitoring the three-way dogfight for the multi-billion contract say Tokyo has been impressed with the stealth technology of the Lockheed Martin F-35, which will enable it to carry out clandestine monitoring of Chinese, North Korean and Russian military assets in the region.

It also remains indebted to Washington for the assistance the US military provided in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake.

"Even before March 11 there were many factors in favour of the F-35, but since then that national security relationship between the two governments has become much closer," one analyst with knowledge of the bidding told The Daily Telegraph.

A couple of points.

*Typhoon makers are prepping share holders for another loss

*The Japanese government is properly reading the tea leaves and realizes that Washington is finally had enough of the yearly protest by Japanese citizens about US bases.

*China has over played its "nationalist" card and has alarmed governments up and down the Pacific Rim pushing them further into the US camp.

*Advanced weapons are great but without a policy to back up those arms sales (like mutual defense treaties) it becomes difficult to make the sale.

Lastly, this is just another in a series of great news stories for the F-35.  The year started off shaky but is ending with nothing but success.