ANA, Joby Aviation and NRE partner for Japan’s air taxi infrastructure

ANA Holdings (ANA HD) and Joby Aviation, pioneers in the development of all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, have joined forces with Nomura Real Estate Development Co. (NRE), one of Japan’s leading real estate developers. This strategic alliance aims to facilitate the establishment of take-off and landing infrastructure critical for the widespread adoption of electric air taxi services throughout Japan.

Under the agreement, the three entities will collaboratively delve into the planning, siting, operation and funding aspects of vertiport locations—integral to the future landscape of commercial air taxi services in Japan. Community engagement will also play a pivotal role to ensure that air taxi services align with local preferences and are seamlessly integrated into the communities they serve.

The primary focus of the partnership will be on metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, with plans to expand to various urban centres across greater Japan over time. Joby, having recently assumed the role of technical advisor to the Tokyo Bay eSG Project led by NRE and sponsored by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, is actively contributing to the exploration of diverse multi-modal mobility solutions, including a floating landing port in Tokyo Bay.

ANA HD and Joby initially joined forces in 2022 to introduce electric air taxi services to Japan. NRE, renowned as one of Japan’s largest real estate developers, now aligns with Joby and ANA HD in their collective efforts to advance air taxi services in the country. Both Joby and ANA HD are active members of Japan’s Public-Private Conference for the future air mobility revolution, an initiative established by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to accelerate the adoption of aerial ride sharing in Japan.

In 2022, Joby took a significant step by applying for validation of its impending Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), the company to work closely with regulatory officials from JCAB, including through ongoing familiarization activities, to prepare for commercial operations in the country.

Joby’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft can carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph, offering high-speed mobility with a fraction of the noise produced by helicopters and with no in-flight emissions.