Airbus in Japan

Airbus’ commercial and industrial presence in Japan has grown considerably in recent years, underscored by key partnerships in support of the company’s product line of modern jetliners – including its 21st century flagship A380 – along with an increased number of aircraft bookings by the market’s airlines. 

Reinforcing the expansion of Airbus’ Japanese customer base was Skymark Airline’s contract for four double-deck A380s, signed in early 2011. Skymark is Japan’s third largest and fastest growing airline, and is to utilise the A380 on major international long-haul routes from Tokyo. 

The milestone A380 programme also has forged even stronger partnerships between Airbus and the Japanese industry. It is estimated that A380 business will bring approximately US $4.6 billion to the Japanese industry in the coming years, reflecting Airbus’ confidence in Japanese skills, reliability, technological leadership and quality standards. 

Japanese industrial support also includes nine supplier companies for Airbus' best-selling single-aisle A320 Family. For example, Jamco produces parts for the vertical tail plane and galley, while Toray and Toho Tenax both supply carbon fibre material for the A320 Family programme. 

Airbus’ A330/A340 programme involves a total of 16 Japanese companies. Sumitomo Precision Products supplies landing gear jacks, and Sumitomo Metal Industries provides titanium sheet. In November 2003, Bridgestone, Furukawa-Sky Aluminum, and ShinMaywa joined the list of A330/A340 programme suppliers. Bridgestone now supplies tires to all the Airbus aircraft and develops new technology tires for the A340-500/600 models. 

Furukawa-Sky Aluminium provides a new superplastic aluminum alloy, while ShinMaywa supplies the wing root fillet fairing. 

The company’s regional activity is coordinated by its Airbus Japan subsidiary, which is based in the heart of Tokyo, and has responsibility for all local industrial and customer service efforts covering industrial partners and operators alike. 

Airbus initially entered the Japanese market in 1979 when Japan Air Systems (JAS, now merged with Japan Airlines) ordered a fleet of six A300B2s. 

These were the first widebody jets to be acquired by the carrier, and were used to meet demand on domestic routes as well as to develop regional operations. 

All Nippon Airways became the second Japanese airline to "go Airbus," ordering 10 A320s – which entered service in 1991. All Nippon later took delivery of seven new A321s, which became the first foreign-built civil airliner to gain Japanese type certification. 

The march of the low-cost airlines has not left Japan untouched. The A320 Family, as has been proved by the burgeoning low-cost market in Europe, is the ideal aircraft to meet the needs of such airlines. Japan’s new low-cost airline StarFlyer started operation with the A320 on the Kita-Kyushu-Tokyo route in March 2006.