Post-World War II rendered Japan without a modern jet fighter for defensive purposes.

Two decades after World War II had concluded, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) began to consider the development of a supersonic jet tentatively named "T-X."

Japan had found that the subsonic Fuji T-1 jet trainer did not adequately prepare trainee pilots for more complex and difficult handling front line Mach 2 fighters such as the Lockheed F-104J Starfighter and McDonnell Douglas F-4EJ Phantom and so, in 1964–65, began studies for a new trainer, the T-X, which it was hoped would also form the basis for a future single-seat attack aircraft, the SF-X.

Japan considered both aircraft carefully, and attempted to negotiate licensed production of the Jaguar,[2] but these plans failed, possibly due to nationalism[3] and the high royalty payments demanded by SEPECAT.

[2] In the end, Japan decided to manufacture its own design, which, produced to meet similar requirements, would closely resemble the Jaguar.

[4] By March 1969,[4] the design had been finalized, and the XT-2 prototype was rolled out on 28 April 1971, and performed its maiden flight on 20 July 1971.

In particular, the T-2 was also powered by two Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour turbofans, the same engine type used by the Jaguar, license-built by Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries under the designation "TF40-IHI-801A".

There were large service doors beneath the fuselage that provided excellent access to the engines for maintenance.

[11] The crew sat in tandem, with the flight instructor sitting behind the student on a raised seat to give a good forward view.

The aircrew sat under separate clamshell canopies on Weber ES-7J zero-zero (zero altitude, zero speed) ejection seats, built by Daiseru.