Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy are aiming to set up a control tower for the joint development of a next-generation fighter jet in fiscal 2024, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara has said, following talks with his counterparts from the two partner countries.

Kihara, speaking to reporters late Monday, said the video conference with British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps and Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto was ¡°a very useful first step in fostering a relationship of trust¡± as the fighter jet project moves forward.

The control tower, which is expected to be made up of officials from all three countries and set up in Britain, will oversee the countries¡¯ requirements for the joint development of the fighter by 2035 and place orders with companies participating in the program.

Kihara also hinted that the three ministers could hold a face-to-face meeting in the near future to more clearly outline details of the agreement, saying it was ¡°important to continue to work closely.¡±

The Global Combat Air Program, a project that the three countries agreed to undertake last December, is intended to develop advanced new aircraft to replace about 90 aging F-2 fighters operated by the Air Self-Defense Force, while Britain and Italy plan to use it to replace 144 and 94 Eurofighters, respectively.

The program will be Tokyo¡¯s first attempt at cooperation with countries other than its ally, the United States, to meet a major defense requirement.

The new aircraft is being designed with interoperability with the U.S. military and other NATO forces in mind, since all three countries hope to employ the fighter in joint operations with allies and partners.

The Japanese government may also be looking to allow the fighter to be transferred to other nations outside of the three through a revision of its rules on the export of defense equipment.

Discussions on any revisions are ongoing, but the government reportedly said in August that it would be ¡°desirable¡± to lift a ban on exports of gear developed under international projects to third countries. It has also said lethal weapons could be exported under certain conditions.

Japan conditionally allows exports of defense equipment under three related principles. According to the government¡¯s , jointly developed defense equipment can be exported only to partner countries in the development project.

The government says the current rules prevent Japan from putting together an ¡°efficient supply system¡± for defense equipment, potentially turning countries away from joint development projects with Tokyo.