The Dutch - Nippon connection, more to come         

From 23 March 2026 until 3 April 2026, five Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force) F-35As are participating in exercise Kazaguruma Guardian.

The exercise Kazaguruma Guardian, which means Windmill Protector, is being held between Dutch, Japanese and American military aircraft from Misawa Air Base. Strategically located, Misawa air base near Aomori, is situated in the northern part of the island of Honshū of Japan and is co-used by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and the United States Air Force.

With the last 35th Fighter Wing WW coded USAF F-16s now being withdrawn from Japanese soil and more F-35s coming in, Lightning IIs are particularly well represented at Misawa at this moment. Japan and the Netherlands have been loyal partners for years.

Visiting the country the first time, for the Netherlands Air Force, Japan is an important strategic partner in the Indochina region because it is a democratic and friendly country with a significant military and trading influence.

Is there more to come?
At the invitation of Dutch Majesty the King Willem Alexander, His Majesty Emperor Naruhito of Japan is paying a state visit to the Netherlands. The state visit will take place in the second half of June 2026. It is expected that both JASDF/Government of Japan Boeing 777s will visit the Netherlands.

The state visit is a confirmation of the close and historic relationship between Japan and the Netherlands. The countries share 426 years of bilateral relations. The bond with Japan was originally primarily economic and is now also focused on security, innovation, defense, economic resilience, and the international rule of law. Will we see JASDF F-35As coming to the Netherlands in the future?

Credit photos: via JASDF/CLRS and Dino van Doorn (Scramble Archive), credit patch: via JASDF