TOKYO (Kyodo) -- U.S. military's F-35B stealth fighter jet has made the first landing on the Japanese destroyer Kaga in waters off San Diego, the Maritime Self-Defense Force said Monday.

The vertical test landing, executed at around 3 p.m. Sunday local time, is part of efforts to turn the Kaga, an Izumo-class destroyer, into a full-fledged aircraft carrier. The exercise is slated to continue through Nov. 18, the MSDF said.

In cooperation with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, the MSDF will confirm whether the F-35B can take off from the Japanese vessel without problems, as well as the procedures for storing aircraft in its hangar, taxiing, fueling and maintenance.

In March, the Kaga underwent major renovation work, including making part of its flight deck heat-resistant to withstand aircraft landings, before departing from the MSDF's Kure base in western Japan in September for the experiment in waters off California.

Japan's Defense Ministry conducted landing and takeoff tests of another destroyer, the Izumo, in 2021 using an F-35B stealth fighter. The government has designated both the Izumo and the Kaga for convertsion into aircraft carriers.