Overview                                                            

                                                                                                Unit: USD millions

(total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)

 Data Sources:

               Total Local Production: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

               Total Exports: Ministry of Finance

               Total Imports: Ministry of Finance

               Imports from the US: Ministry of Finance

Despite a dramatic decrease in air travel demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as countries around the world implement tight entry restrictions, Japan continues to offer a lucrative market over the long term for imported aircraft, aircraft parts, engines, and other related technologies. *The Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (SJAC) projects that overall sales in the industry will remain essentially flat versus last year, with an expected drop in the civil aerospace market offset by growth in the defense aerospace and space markets.

U.S. firms have an overwhelming presence in this segment, due to long-standing relationships with domestic manufacturers and trading firms, some spanning over 60 years.  Several trends are driving opportunities for U.S. firms.  For example, Japanese industry players are increasingly active in international projects, developing transport and patrol aircraft for defense, and manufacturing small jets and jet engines for civil aviation.  Geopolitical considerations, including ongoing regional disputes with China, Russia, and North Korea, are also driving demand for enhanced defense capabilities.

Civil Aircraft

Japan’s commercial aerospace business is dominated by big companies that supply the major airplane makers, chiefly Boeing.  For example, Japanese manufacturers such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), and Subaru (former Fuji Heavy Industries), supply about 35 percent of the content for the Boeing 787 and 21 percent of Boeing 777.  The other player is MHI’s subsidiary, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation (MITAC), which has been developing a twin-engine commuter aircraft since 2008.  Originally promised for 2013, and now named Space Jet, delivery of the 88-seat aircraft has been postponed to 2021 or later.  MITAC is conducting flight tests, focusing on improving aircraft design and validating testing flight data, as it seeks to obtain a safety certification from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau.

Leading Sub-Sectors

Commercial aircraft and aircraft engines, helicopters, aircraft parts and supplies, avionics.

Events

Engine Forum Kobe

Dates: October 20 & 21, 2020

Venue: Kobe Convention Center, Hyogo

Website: https://www.kobe.bciaerospace.com/en/

Description: Supply chain event dedicated to aero-engines, gas turbines and other propulsion and power generation equipment.

 

MAST Asia (Maritime/Air Systems and Technologies)

Dates: August 31, September 3, 2021

Venue: Tokyo

Website: https://mastconfex.com/

Description: Particularly focused on Undersea, Surface, Air, Space, and Cyber Platforms, Systems, and Technologies, MAST provides networking opportunities between Government, Research and Technology, and Defense Industry.

 

DSEI Japan (Defense and Security Equipment International – Japan)

Dates: May 19-21, 2021

Venue: Makuhari Messe, Chiba

Website: https://www.dsei-japan.com/

Description: DSEI-Japan brings the global defense and security sector together with both the Japanese and wider Asian defense community to innovate, partner and share knowledge

 

Web Resources

Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)

Website:  http://www.mlit.go.jp/en/koku/index.html

Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (SJAC)

Website:  http://www.sjac.or.jp/en_index.html

Japan Business Aviation Association (JBAA)

Website:  https://www.jbaa.org/en/