JAL aims to launch flying car business in fiscal 2025

Jul 10, 2021 | News On Japan

Jul 10, 2021 (Nikkei) - Japan Airlines plans to enter the flying car business in fiscal year 2025, Nikkei has learned.

The airline will start a passenger transportation service connecting airports and tourist destinations in Mie Prefecture, among other areas. It plans to develop the business into one that can carry people around various locations as a taxi does.

The move comes amid growing competition to put flying cars to practical use in markets around the world. Putting in place the necessary safety regulations will be key for the industry to take off in Japan.

JAL will use the aircraft of Volocopter, a German startup in which it invested in 2020. It is a two-seater drone-type aircraft called eVTOL, or electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, with a cruising range of 35 km. It can fly at up to 110 km per hour.

JAL recently signed a cooperation agreement with Mie Prefecture to conduct trials and commercialize the service.

First, it will experiment with flights over a short distance of 20 km, before considering a medium distance of 50 to 150 km that connects local cities. When it enters commercialization in fiscal year 2025, the service is expected to connect tourist destinations with the prefecture's main airport, where it will be easy to set up departure and arrival ports.

Ultimately, JAL envisions a taxi-like business that can carry passengers anywhere within a medium distance range.

Tada Shrine is First in Kansai to Go Bankrupt

Tada Shrine in Kawanishi, Hyogo Prefecture, has filed for protection under Japan's Civil Rehabilitation Act, becoming the first shrine in the Kansai region and only the third nationwide to enter bankruptcy proceedings, according to Teikoku Databank.

Japan Challenges World Map Showing Disputed Islands in Russia's Color

Japan has asked for changes to an Equal Earth world map that depicts the Russian-controlled Northern Territories in the same color as Russia, prompting the map's creator to say the Japanese-language version will be revised while the English version will remain unchanged.

Footage Shows Tokyo Flood Control Tunnel After Heavy Rain

Large volumes of floodwater poured into the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, following heavy rain on September 7, prompting the massive underground flood-control facility known as the "Underground Temple" to go into operation.

Osaka Metro to Abolish Magnetic Tickets and Shift to QR Code Tickets

Osaka Metro plans to abolish magnetic tickets and replace them with QR code-based tickets around fiscal 2031, as declining use and the cost of maintaining conventional ticket gates accelerate the shift toward digital fare systems.

Tickets for Asian Games Selling Fast

Ticket sales for the Asian Games are gathering pace with less than two weeks until the competition begins, with more than 60% of tickets sold for the opening ceremony and 31 sports as of September 7, although organizers say seats remain readily available for events including soccer and baseball.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Growing Theft of High-End Bonsai Leaves Growers Fuming

High-end bonsai are being stolen from gardens across Japan in a growing series of thefts, with some trees later appearing on social media overseas and industry officials saying more than 100 cases are now reported each year.

Three Arrested Over Suspected Underground Bank for Chinese Clients

Three people have been arrested in Kyoto on suspicion of operating an unlicensed underground banking service for Chinese clients, with police believing the group handled transactions worth about 600 million yen in total.

Two 14-Year-Old Cyclists Arrested After Wheelie Ride Ends in Bus Collision

Two 14-year-old junior high school students in Aichi Prefecture have been arrested on suspicion of obstructing traffic while performing dangerous bicycle stunts linked to group rides known on social media as Nagoya Ride.

Myanmar Workers Allege Violence at Hokkaido Farm

Seven Myanmar nationals working at an agricultural corporation in Hokkaido under Japan's Specified Skilled Worker status have accused their employer of repeated violence, intimidation and financial penalties, with some workers saying they were also called by numbers instead of their names and threatened with having their residence status revoked.

Police Investigate Possible Dispute Behind Deadly Cake Shop Attack

Police are investigating whether a dispute between a 70-year-old man and the female owner of a cake shop in Motosu, Gifu Prefecture, was connected to a murder and arson case that left three people dead and two others injured during a middle school reunion.

Female Fans Reshape Japan's Maid Cafe Culture

Women now make up a growing share of customers at Akihabara maid cafes, reflecting a shift in Japan's "oshi-katsu" fan culture as visitors increasingly seek not only someone to support, but also a sense of two-way connection with the maids they admire.

Foreign Rental Car Accidents Surge, With Some Shops Halting Rentals

Traffic accidents involving rental cars driven by foreign visitors are rising sharply in Japan, with some rental car businesses even stopping rentals to overseas tourists as concerns grow over unfamiliar traffic rules and driving practices.

Kyoto Employee Busted Stealing Used Sanitary Products From Women's Restroom

A 62-year-old Kyoto Prefectural Government employee has been suspended for three months after repeatedly entering a women's restroom at his workplace and taking used sanitary products, with the employee subsequently resigning voluntarily.

< 2 3 4 5 >