Sales of F-35 fighters to Israel could violate Japan's export ban

Potential U.S. sales of F-35 stealth fighter jets, which include Japanese-made parts, to Israel could send Japan into turbulence because of the nation's ban on weapons exports to designated countries.

Lockheed Martin Corp. of the United States is developing the radar-evading aircraft. Japan has allocated 29.9 billion yen ($330 million) to acquire two F-35s--the first to be manufactured with the participation of Japanese companies--in the draft fiscal 2013 budget adopted on Jan. 29.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera admitted at a news conference the same day that F-35s that use Japanese parts may be exported to Israel.

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