Exclusive: Japan to delay multi-billion dollar fighter jet development - sourcesTOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will delay a decision to develop a new advanced fighter jet, four sources said, as military planners struggle to settle on a design and officials splash out on new U.S. equipment such as ballistic missile interceptors and F-35 stealth planes. Faced with a growing military threat from North Korea and increased activity by Chinese air force jets over the East China Sea, Japan is under pressure to improve its defenses on two fronts. Any delay to the new fighter, known as the F-3, will raise a question mark over the future of what could be one of the world s most lucrative upcoming military contracts, estimated at more than $40 billion to develop and deploy.  A decision after the first half of 2018 would be too late for it to be included as a core program in a new five-year defense equipment plan beginning April 2019 that Japan will reveal at the end of next year.        The direction is for the F-3 decision to be put back,  said one the sources who have knowledge of the discussion. The people who spoke to Reuters asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to talk to the media. They said the decision, on whether to forge ahead as a domestic program or seek international collaboration, would now likely come after 2018.          Regarding the F-3 decision, including whether we will delay a choice, we have haven t come to any conclusion,  a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence Acquisition Technology & Logistics Agency said. Analysts estimate developing the F-3 could cost $40 billion, a figure described another source as an  initial cost.   With a defense budget of around $50 billion that has increased in the past few years at just under an annual 1 percent, that outlay, even spread out over years of development, represents a major undertaking.  It would come at a time when Japan is spending a record amounts on U.S. equipment, including Lockheed Martin Corp s F-35 jet, Raytheon defense missiles and Boeing Co and Textron Inc s tilt-rotor Osprey troop aircraft.  In 2013, Japan procured 118 billion yen ($1 billion) of equipment through the U.S. government s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system. By last year, that outlay had quadrupled to 486 billion yen. President Donald Trump in Tokyo last week called on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to purchase additional U.S.-made weapons as his administration pushes Washington s allies to contribute more to their joint defense.     For now, that defense is focused on countering the threat posed by North Korean ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.  Japan s defense forces, however, want the F-3 to counter growing Chinese air power in the skies over the western Pacific and East China Sea where Tokyo and Beijing are locked in a territorial dispute. Japanese fighters scrambled a record 806 times to intercept Chinese planes in the year that ended March 31.  A second role for the yet-to-be-built fighter is to reinforce Japan s defense industry by giving Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and its suppliers their first fighter jet program since Japan built its F-2 fighter two decades ago.  Mitsubishi Heavy, the maker of the World War Two-era Zero fighter, in January 2016 tested a prototype jet, the ATD-X. Developed for around $350 million, it was seen as the first step toward a new homegrown frontline stealth fighter.  While support for a domestic-only program is strong among some government officials, other bureaucrats are worried about the potentially enormous expense of developing components from scratch. They support international collaboration to share costs with overseas partners and tap their technology.   What we have now is a flying box  without all the systems that constitute a fighter such as weapons and sensors, said another of the sources.  Possible overseas partners include BAE Systems, a leading designer of the high-altitude Eurofighter interceptor backed by the British government, F-35 builder Lockheed Martin and Boeing, maker of the F-18 strike fighter. All have responded to initial requests for information from Ministry of Defence overseeing F-3 plans. worldnews
exclusive japan delay dollar fighter jet development sourcestokyo reuters japan delay decision develop new advanced fighter jet four sources said military planners struggle settle design officials splash new equipment ballistic missile interceptor stealth planes faced growing military threat north korea increased activity chinese air force jets east china sea japan pressure improve defenses two fronts any delay new fighter known raise question mark future could one world lucrative upcoming military contracts estimated billion develop deploy a decision first half would late included core program new defense equipment plan beginning april japan reveal end next year the direction decision put back said one sources knowledge discussion the people spoke reuters asked identified authorized talk media they said decision whether forge ahead domestic program seek international collaboration would likely come regarding decision including whether delay choice come conclusion spokeswoman ministry defence acquisition technology logistics agency said analysts estimate developing could cost billion figure described another source initial cost with defense budget around billion increased past years annual percent outlaw even spread years development represents major undertaking it would come time japan spending record amounts equipment including locked martin corp jet pantheon defense missiles boeing co neutron inc prey troop aircraft in japan procured billion yen billion equipment government foreign military sales fms system by last year outlaw quadruple billion yen president donald trump tokyo last week called prime minister shine abe purchase additional weapons administration pushes washington allies contribute joint defense for defense focused countering threat posed north korean ballistic missiles nuclear weapons japan defense forces however want counter growing chinese air power skies western pacific east china sea tokyo beijing locked territorial dispute japanese fighters scrambled record times intercept chinese planes year ended march a second role fighter reinforce japan defense industry giving mitsubishi heavy industries mi suppliers first fighter jet program since japan built fighter two decades ago mitsubishi heavy maker world war zero fighter january tested prototype jet developed around million seen first step toward new homegrown frontline stealth fighter while support program strong among government officials bureaucrats worried potentially enormous expense developing components scratch they support international collaboration share costs overseas partners tap technology what flying box without systems constitute fighter weapons sensors said another sources possible overseas partners include bae systems leading designer eurofighter interceptor backed british government builder locked martin boeing maker strike fighter all responded initial requests information ministry defence overseeing plans worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Exclusive: Japan to delay multi-billion dollar fighter jet development - sourcesTOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will delay a decision to develop a new advanced fighter jet, four sources said, as military planners struggle to settle on a design and officials splash out on new U.S. equipment such as ballistic missile interceptors and F-35 stealth planes. Faced with a growing military threat from North Korea and increased activity by Chinese air force jets over the East China Sea, Japan is under pressure to improve its defenses on two fronts. Any delay to the new fighter, known as the F-3, will raise a question mark over the future of what could be one of the world s most lucrative upcoming military contracts, estimated at more than $40 billion to develop and deploy.  A decision after the first half of 2018 would be too late for it to be included as a core program in a new five-year defense equipment plan beginning April 2019 that Japan will reveal at the end of next year.        The direction is for the F-3 decision to be put back,  said one the sources who have knowledge of the discussion. The people who spoke to Reuters asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to talk to the media. They said the decision, on whether to forge ahead as a domestic program or seek international collaboration, would now likely come after 2018.          Regarding the F-3 decision, including whether we will delay a choice, we have haven t come to any conclusion,  a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence Acquisition Technology & Logistics Agency said. Analysts estimate developing the F-3 could cost $40 billion, a figure described another source as an  initial cost.   With a defense budget of around $50 billion that has increased in the past few years at just under an annual 1 percent, that outlay, even spread out over years of development, represents a major undertaking.  It would come at a time when Japan is spending a record amounts on U.S. equipment, including Lockheed Martin Corp s F-35 jet, Raytheon defense missiles and Boeing Co and Textron Inc s tilt-rotor Osprey troop aircraft.  In 2013, Japan procured 118 billion yen ($1 billion) of equipment through the U.S. government s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system. By last year, that outlay had quadrupled to 486 billion yen. President Donald Trump in Tokyo last week called on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to purchase additional U.S.-made weapons as his administration pushes Washington s allies to contribute more to their joint defense.     For now, that defense is focused on countering the threat posed by North Korean ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.  Japan s defense forces, however, want the F-3 to counter growing Chinese air power in the skies over the western Pacific and East China Sea where Tokyo and Beijing are locked in a territorial dispute. Japanese fighters scrambled a record 806 times to intercept Chinese planes in the year that ended March 31.  A second role for the yet-to-be-built fighter is to reinforce Japan s defense industry by giving Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and its suppliers their first fighter jet program since Japan built its F-2 fighter two decades ago.  Mitsubishi Heavy, the maker of the World War Two-era Zero fighter, in January 2016 tested a prototype jet, the ATD-X. Developed for around $350 million, it was seen as the first step toward a new homegrown frontline stealth fighter.  While support for a domestic-only program is strong among some government officials, other bureaucrats are worried about the potentially enormous expense of developing components from scratch. They support international collaboration to share costs with overseas partners and tap their technology.   What we have now is a flying box  without all the systems that constitute a fighter such as weapons and sensors, said another of the sources.  Possible overseas partners include BAE Systems, a leading designer of the high-altitude Eurofighter interceptor backed by the British government, F-35 builder Lockheed Martin and Boeing, maker of the F-18 strike fighter. All have responded to initial requests for information from Ministry of Defence overseeing F-3 plans. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: exclusive japan delay dollar fighter jet development sourcestokyo reuters japan delay decision develop new advanced fighter jet four sources said military planners struggle settle design officials splash new equipment ballistic missile interceptor stealth planes faced growing military threat north korea increased activity chinese air force jets east china sea japan pressure improve defenses two fronts any delay new fighter known raise question mark future could one world lucrative upcoming military contracts estimated billion develop deploy a decision first half would late included core program new defense equipment plan beginning april japan reveal end next year the direction decision put back said one sources knowledge discussion the people spoke reuters asked identified authorized talk media they said decision whether forge ahead domestic program seek international collaboration would likely come regarding decision including whether delay choice come conclusion spokeswoman ministry defence acquisition technology logistics agency said analysts estimate developing could cost billion figure described another source initial cost with defense budget around billion increased past years annual percent outlaw even spread years development represents major undertaking it would come time japan spending record amounts equipment including locked martin corp jet pantheon defense missiles boeing co neutron inc prey troop aircraft in japan procured billion yen billion equipment government foreign military sales fms system by last year outlaw quadruple billion yen president donald trump tokyo last week called prime minister shine abe purchase additional weapons administration pushes washington allies contribute joint defense for defense focused countering threat posed north korean ballistic missiles nuclear weapons japan defense forces however want counter growing chinese air power skies western pacific east china sea tokyo beijing locked territorial dispute japanese fighters scrambled record times intercept chinese planes year ended march a second role fighter reinforce japan defense industry giving mitsubishi heavy industries mi suppliers first fighter jet program since japan built fighter two decades ago mitsubishi heavy maker world war zero fighter january tested prototype jet developed around million seen first step toward new homegrown frontline stealth fighter while support program strong among government officials bureaucrats worried potentially enormous expense developing components scratch they support international collaboration share costs overseas partners tap technology what flying box without systems constitute fighter weapons sensors said another sources possible overseas partners include bae systems leading designer eurofighter interceptor backed british government builder locked martin boeing maker strike fighter all responded initial requests information ministry defence overseeing plans worldnews