NAGOYA: The first made-in-Japan passenger aircraft in nearly four decades is being unveiled Saturday as its maker pushes into the booming regional jet sector with an eye to taking on industry giants Embraer and Bombardier.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, a military contractor best known for its "Zero" World War II fighter, is set to pull back the curtain on its new Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), a fuel-efficient, next-generation aircraft that claims to offer more passenger comfort with lower operating costs.
The jet, which will be delivered to customers from 2017 and was built with assistance from aviation giant Boeing, is being unveiled at a ceremony in the central city of Nagoya on Saturday.
"The MRJ programme has been making steady progress, and its state-of-the-art aerodynamic design, and a game-changing engine will significantly cut fuel consumption, noise and emissions, helping airlines enhance competitiveness and profitability in the future," Teruaki Kawai, president and chief operating officer of Mitsubishi Aircraft, said in a recent statement.
The plane marks a new chapter for Japan's aviation sector, which last built a commercial airliner in 1962 -- the YS-11 turboprop. It was discontinued about a decade later.
Japanese firms were banned from developing aircraft by US occupiers following its defeat in World War II.
The country slowly started rebuilding its aviation industry in the 1950s, starting with supplying repair work for the US military, before expanding its scope to start licensed production of US-developed aircraft for Japan's Self-Defense Forces. Japanese firms have also long supplied parts to Boeing.
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