Declining defense spending

What I heard at the time (I used to maintain Harriers) was that Japan wanted it, some in the US (McDonnell-Douglas and the USMC) were for it as it would mean a larger production run which created jobs and generate money (McD-D side) while also pushing the per-unit cost down (USMC side). Most of the “antis” were other regional players, folks who didn’t want Japan to have that capability. Doubtless Luddites like Takako Doi and her slimy ilk were also against it domestically.

The “force projection” argument is a red herring as far as I am concerned. Japan is an island nation, with a lot of spread-out territory. Without either a fixed-wing carrier (which Japan won’t have soon) or in-flight refueling capability (which Japan will have, very soon) Japan is barely able to patrol some areas of its own airspace. Certain platforms lend themselves to the policy of force projection, but they do not determine the policy. Those same platforms also lend themselves to strictly defensive uses, however I concede that a CV is overkill for Japan’s needs in that regard. Getting the 767 tankers and AWACs is more than sufficient for what the SDF needs to be able to do.

A brief history of the Harrier:
Developed in England by Hawker-Siddeley, who later merged into BAe (British Aerospace), hence BAe Harrier. These were the first generation Harriers, sold to the Marines as the AV-8A. All made in England, with McDonnell-Douglas as the US contractor in charge of coordinating things in the US.

McD-D went on to develop the second-generation AV-8B. BAe was involved in the initial stages and had their own plan for a “big wing Harrier” that went nowhere. BAe then dropped out, only to rejoin the project once it was effectively finished. All AV-8Bs are manufactured in the US, British equivalents are assembled in the UK from British and American-produced parts. All other non-US 2nd gen Harriers are US made.

McD-D was bought by Boeing, but Boeing doesn’t “make” Harriers (the line is now shut down), they just stick their name on the front since the type is now their corporate property.

Japan was interested in the McD-D produced AV-8B, which meant that the US had say on whether the sale went through. Perhaps Japan could have bought British-standard Harriers, perhaps not. In any event, they never asked the British. With McD-D as the major subcontractor on those airframes as well, US approval may still have been needed.