Japan's first passenger jet will fly over Embraer, Bombardier market space

Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), Japan's first commercial jet, has been successfully completed its maiden test flight. MRJ will face competition from Brazilian Embraer and Canada-based Bombardier, which are strong in smaller aircraft market.

The test run of the passenger jet has opened a new chapter in the Japan's aviation industry. The last time Japan flew commercial airliner was in 1962. With an objective of exploring business potential in the growing market for smaller planes,

Mitsubishi Regional Jet has put in over a decade of research in developing the passenger jet.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has developed Mitsubishi Regional Jet and successfully tested it on Nagoya airport on 11 November. Equipped with two engines, MRJ's length spans 35 meters and smoothly took off from the runway at Nagoya airport and made rounds in skies over central Japan.

In 1962, Japan made its debut with a commercial jet YS-11 turboprop and a decade later it was discontinued.

Now, Mitsubishi will have to compete with Brazilian and Canadian airlines in the global market for smaller aircraft. The seating capacity of MRJ is 80 passengers and it's considered to be a competition directly to Brazil's Embraer and Canada's Bombardier.

The delivery date for MRJ has been postponed three times. Now, finally Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp has come out with Mitsubishi Regional Jet aircraft.

The company has received 407 orders for two versions of aircraft. The first model is due for delivery to All Nippon Airways Co in the second quarter of 2017. Some of the orders include options and purchase rights as well.

JPMorgan Securities Japan Co forecasts that demand for regional jets is set for the rise as more people prefer to fly and airlines are also deploying smaller jets on select routes. "MRJ has a lot of potential," said Dan Lu, an analyst at JPMorgan Securities Japan Co.

The Japanese government is helping Mitsubishi in selling passenger jets in the global market. Hiromichi Morimoto, president at Mitsubishi Aircraft, said, "I appreciate the government's support and look forward to joint corporate delegations with the government to sell the planes overseas."

The Mitsubishi jet is equipped with Pratt & Whitney engines.

Mitsubishi Heavy is a major contractor to other manufacturers of aircraft as it develops large portion of wings for Boeing 787 jetliner. Mitsubishi said that operational performance of MRJ is far better than expected previously.

After the defeat in the World War-II, Japanese firms were barred from developing aircraft by US occupiers. Mitsubishi Heavy is a military contractor to Japanese defense sector and has developed Japan's 'Zero' fighter plane.

MRJ is a fuel-efficient and next generation business jet. Passengers can get more comforts at lower pricing. MRJ is expected to play a key role in the regional jet industry.

China has recently launched C919 jetliner with a seating capacity of 158 seats. China will be competing with Boeing 737 and Airbus A320.