Under restrictions, F-22 fighters arrive in Japan

TOKYO — A group of U.S. F-22 stealth fighters has arrived in Japan in what the U.S. Air Force hopes will be a step toward proving its prized aircraft are safe after an oxygen problem that made pilots sick.

The F-22s arrived at Kadena Air Base on Saturday from the United States. They are expected to remain on Japan's southern island of Okinawa for several months.

The F-22, manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corp., is the Air Force's most advanced stealth fighter. The fleet has been under tight restrictions since mid-May because pilots were reporting dizziness and symptoms of hypoxia. On Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta approved sending the fighters to Japan because he said the Air Force has identified the cause of the problem and has taken measures to fix it.