TOKYO - December 20, 2018 – Honda Aircraft Company announced today that it has delivered the first HondaJet Elite in Japan. The first customer delivery follows the HondaJet Elite’s receipt of type certification from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) on December 7, 2018.

To commemorate the type certification and the first delivery of a HondaJet Elite in Japan, Honda Aircraft Company held a ceremony at Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport), which was attended by JCAB Director-General Kuniharu Ebina, Michimasa Fujino, President and CEO of Honda Aircraft Company and Gentaro Toya, Chief Executive of HondaJet Japan^*1.

After Kuniharu Ebina presented the HondaJet Elite’s Japan type certification to Michimasa Fujino, the HondaJet Elite was delivered to Kotaro Chiba, founder of Japan’s Drone Fund and the first HondaJet customer in Japan.

In June 2018, Honda Aircraft Company began sales of the HondaJet Elite in Japan through HondaJet Japan. Since expanding to the region, the company has taken orders for more than 10 aircraft.

Comments by Michimasa Fujino, President & CEO of Honda Aircraft Company:

“It has been our dream to see the HondaJet flying in the skies above Honda’s home country of Japan and we are proud to mark this major milestone for Honda’s aviation business. Honda Aircraft Company’s goal is to improve people’s lifestyles throughout Japan by introducing them to business aviation with the HondaJet Elite. We aspire to popularize business aviation in the region, ultimately creating a society where business jets are widely-accepted and used for personal and professional use.”    

Comments by Mr. Kotaro Chiba, HondaJet Elite customer

“Honda has introduced a world-class personal mobility product for airborne transportation. I would like to thank Mr. Fujino and his development team who created the amazing HondaJet Elite. I have taken multiple flights in this aircraft and have confirmed its quietness, powerfulness, smoothness, safety, and stability. Above all, the beauty of this aircraft is outstanding. When light jets become widely used, the entire country of Japan will become like one metropolitan area, which will accelerate new economic activities. I have strong confidence that today, December 20, will be Day 1 of the ‘revolution in aerial mobility’ in Japan.”  

Comments by Gentaro Toya, Chief Executive of HondaJet Japan:

"HondaJet Japan is honored to deliver the HondaJet Elite to our first customer in the region. We look forward to providing the highest quality product and service to our customers throughout Japan. We will continue to cultivate businesses that support the aviation industry to ensure an environment where the HondaJet Elite’s convenience will be fully experienced by our customers. We look forward to people throughout Japan experiencing the technologically advanced aircraft.”

About HondaJet Elite

The fastest, furthest and highest-flying plane in its class the HondaJet Elite incorporates Honda Aircraft's many technological innovations, including the unique Over-The-Wing Engine Mount (OTWEM) configuration, Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) nose and wing and composite fuselage. These advancements contribute to the aircraft's superior performance, unparalleled efficiency and maximized fuselage space, making the aircraft's cabin the largest in its class. The HondaJet Elite is also significantly more fuel efficient than all other similarly sized twin-engine business jets. Certified for single pilot operation, the HondaJet Elite continues to live up to the company's reputation for superior performance, efficiency, quality and value. In addition to its JCAB certification, the HondaJet Elite is also certified by the United States (Federal Aviation Administration), Europe (European Aviation Safety Agency) and India (Directorate General of Civil Aviation).

About Honda Aircraft Company

Honda Aircraft Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Founded in 2006, Honda Aircraft's world headquarters is located in North Carolina, the birthplace of aviation. The challenging spirit upon which Mr. Soichiro Honda founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is alive today as Honda Aircraft fulfills one of Honda's longstanding dreams to advance human mobility skyward.

^*1 Marubeni Aerospace was appointed as HondaJet Japan and offers a wide ranged of services including sales, service & maintenance and supporting the operation of the HondaJet in Japan.