Cooperation with industry

Made in Japan passenger aircraft have not taken to the skies since the YS-11, which made its maiden flight over 40 years ago. At the same time, components produced in Japan are widely used in passenger aircraft all over the world. As for engine components, for example, Japan has a 23% share of the bestselling V2500 engine, with over 7,000 units being manufactured to date. Around 35% of the Boeing 787 airframe is supplied by Japanese manufacturers. Today, development of the first jet airliner to be fully manufactured by a Japanese company is underway.
The results of JAXA’s R&D activities have been widely utilized in different areas of our society. Those contributions are supporting the development of new domestic passenger aircraft.
The Aviation Technology Directorate moves forward with the following goals to pursue:

• Conducting R&D of technologies for practical application and utilization within 5–10 years
• Conducting R&D of innovative technologies and concepts that can impact aircraft 20 years in the future
• Accumulating advanced basic and fundamental technologies for the present and future

JAXA not only pursues collaborative research and development with industry that is “application-oriented” with a “broad outlook on aircraft performance requirements ten years into the future,” but we are also advancing future technology research that the private sector finds it hard to engage in on its own. In addition, we are steadily engaged in fundamental research that serves as the cradle for future innovative technologies, as well as the backbone of strong R&D capability such as testing and analysis. With its commitment to its partnership with the private sector, the JAXA Aviation Technology Directorate aims to contribute substantially to innovation and the competitiveness of Japan.