News Navigator: Why was development of Japan-made passenger plane canceled?

The Mainichi Shimbun answers some common questions readers may have about the cancellation of the development of a Japanese-made passenger plane.

Question: I heard that the plan to build a domestically developed passenger jet was canceled. Is that true?

Answer: Yes, the plane was called the “SpaceJet” (formerly called MRJ), a small jet airliner. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. began working on the project in 2008. A test plane made its first flight in 2015, and the company had been developing the aircraft based in the U.S. However, after repeated delays in delivery, the project was frozen in October 2020, and in February 2023, Mitsubishi finally decided to withdraw from the mission.

Q: Why was the program canceled?

A: Because it was difficult to obtain a “type certification,” a central government inspection of aircraft safety. Although European and U.S. authorities are leading the world in the examination process, the requirements are becoming stricter and stricter from day to day, partly due to the digitalization of equipment. Japan had not built a passenger plane in about half a century, so it was unfamiliar with the process and was forced to change the design many times. The protracted development process has cost nearly 1 trillion yen (about $7.5 billion), and the company can no longer afford to continue.

Q. It’s not necessary to stick to domestically producing an airplane, is it?

A: Mitsubishi is involved in manufacturing the main wings and other components for Boeing Co., and can expect to make more money by leading the production of airplanes. It will also make it easier for the company to expand business with domestic parts manufacturers. It can be said that domestic production was indispensable to spur the growth of the Japanese aircraft industry.

Q: What will happen to the Japanese aircraft industry in the future?

A: Mitsubishi will allocate human and financial resources to the development of next-generation fighter aircraft. Japanese technology, such as engines, is competitive and is expected to grow in the future. This may lead to a chance to develop passenger aircraft again.

(Japanese original by Hironori Takechi, Business News Department)