Why Japanese stealth fighters over Australia signal a strategic pivot against China

Japanese F-35A stealth fighters are flying training missions over Australia for the first time in Exercise Pitch Black – part of a broader defence pivot that experts say could bolster US and allied resilience against Beijing in a Taiwan contingency. The multinational exercise, held every two years and featuring around 100 aircraft, runs from July 20 to August 7. It comes just days after Japanese, US and Australian F-35s trained together during the inaugural Southern Cross drills. Southern…