F-2

What is the point of Japan developing the F-2 if it makes an initial order of just 82 and will eventually only buy ~140 (likely to be cut).

I know that Japan wants to maintain its own indeginous weapons projects but they are only buying a token sum of aircraft similar to the F-16’s which UAE will get and is very simialr anyway (well based on it)

Is this US pressure to maintain some control over Japan and cut the trade defecit between the two?

Aziz