Honda Aircraft has expanded sales to Japan with the appointment today of Marubeni Aerospace as HondaJet Japan, which will provide sales, service, and maintenance of the light twinjet in the region. The company submitted an application for Japan Civil Aviation Bureau type certification last month, and the first HondaJet Elite is expected to be delivered there in the first half of 2019.

“It has been a longstanding dream to advance human mobility skyward since Honda Motor was established. When we started aircraft research, there were many challenges to overcome,” said Honda Motor president and CEO Takahiro Hachigo. “Today, with our own advanced technology and the creation of the HondaJet, we have been able to provide innovation to the light jet market and create new value in business aviation. I am proud that Honda Aircraft has expanded sales to Honda’s home here in Japan.”

Honda Aircraft president and CEO Michimasa Fujino said there has been a “tremendous amount” of interest in and inquiries about the HondaJet in Japan. “Today, I am delighted to announce that we have officially expanded our sales to Japan,” he said. “We are excited to share the HondaJet Elite’s enhanced performance, fuel efficiency, comfort, and quietness with people in Japan. We are looking forward to creating a new business jet market in the region.” The HondaJet Elite was announced last week at EBACE 2018.