Sign of Japan's ambitions

Japan's recent test flight of its first domestically developed X-2 stealth fighter jet has sparked extensive speculation about its intentions.

Theoretically, the maiden flight of the X-2 makes Japan the fourth country after the United States, Russia and China to successfully produce a stealth fighter.

Given that the US has refused to sell F-22 stealth fighters to Japan and only agreed to sell it less sophisticated F-35 jets, analysts believe that the X-2 is partly aimed at changing Washington's attitude and enhancing its own status in the Asian security landscape.