ISTANBUL

Two Japanese F-15 jets arrived for defense exchanges at a military base in northeastern Germany on Tuesday for the first time, according to the Kyodo News on Wednesday.

The jets arrived at the Laage Air Base in Germany after visiting the US, Canada, and the UK as part of the Atlantic Eagles friendly visits to enhance defense cooperation.

German Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Holger Neumann told a welcoming ceremony that history was being made as the countries' fighters flew together.

Japan's Air Self-Defense Force head Gen. Takehiro Morita stressed Germany as an essential European partner for Tokyo, while pledging cooperation to bring peace and stability to the global community.

The deployment marks the first-ever deployment of Japanese fighter jets to Europe, under the country’s pacifist constitution.

Defense Minister Gen. Nakatani on Sept. 12 said that the move embodied "the common understanding that security in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions is inseparable."

The tour does not include joint training, but involves unit-to-unit exchanges.

In July last year, German Air Force Eurofighters also conducted a joint exercise with F-15s at the Chitose Air Base in Hokkaido, northern Japan.

Japan, which hosts more than 50,000 US troops, has in recent years expanded defense cooperation with Western nations, including NATO members.

The Japanese Defense Ministry has also requested a record 8.8 trillion yen ($59.9 billion) budget for the next fiscal year, with a focus on missile and drone capabilities.