US to Play Taiwan Card, Sell F-35s and More: Yomiuri Exclusives

choi

The more recent news first.

(1) Seima Oki and Yuko Mukai, US Mulls F-35s for Taiwan Deal. The Japan News, Apr 2, 2017 (Google: "6 hours ago")
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003615320
("Multiple sources close to the bilateral [Taiwan-US] matter revealed that the United States would sell the weapons to Taiwan as early as this summer.  Among the weapons are [F-35 (or less likely, F-16 C/D) fighter jets, plus 'the most advanced missile defense system'], which past US administrations did not allow to be sold to Taiwan. The arms package could be worth the highest amount ever")

Note:
(a) The Japan News is English version or counterpart of Yomiuri Shimbun 読売新聞.
(b) My speculation is that "the most advanced missile defense system" means Aegis destroyers?
(c) Ian Lee, Israel greets first F-35 fighter jets from US. CNN, Dec 12, 2016
www.cnn.com/2016/12/12/middleeast/israel-f-35-jets/
("Two of Lockheed Martin's F-35s, the most advanced fighter jet in the region, arrived in Israel on Monday [Dec 12]. Israel has ordered 50 of them from the United States. Each has a price tag of more than $100 million")

That is the only foreign delivery of F-35 so far.   There is no need to read the rest of the report, which is fluff.

(2) Seima Ōki and Yuko Mukai, US Expected to Use 'Taiwan Card' to Put Pressure on China. The Japan News, Apr 2, 2017 (Google: "7 hours ago").
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003615700

Quote:

"The United States is considering selling state-of-the-art F-35 stealth fighter jets and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to Taiwan, among other items

"According to sources, the possible lineup of senior officials of the US Defense and State departments includes Randall Schriver * * * and Stephen Yates

Note:
(a) Both Schriver and Yates visited Taiwan several times recently -- after Trump's election.
(b)
(i) Seima OKI  大木 聖馬 (ワシントン支局)  (Again, in Japanese pronunciation "ei" is a long vowel of "se.")
(ii) Yūko MUKAI  向井ゆう子 (台北支局)  ("yū" signifies a long vowel of u, and ma be represented by 有, 侑, 優, 祐, 悠, 友 (as in 友愛), 勇, 雄, 裕, and some other kanji.

choi

Half --the other half is locked behind paywall -- of the Japanese report for (1) is:
大木聖馬 and 向井ゆう子, 米、台湾に新たな武器売却を検討…新型javascript:;戦闘機も. 読売新聞, Apr 2, 2017 (Google: "18 hours ago")/
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/world/20170402-OYT1T50002.html

There is no Japanese report for (2), about Taiwan Card "台湾カード."  Could it be in the hidden part of the above Japanese report?