The Japanese Aerospace Industry: Is the Sun Rising on the World Market?
Abstract
Immediately after World War II, the U.S. occupation of Japan banned aircraft manufacturing, prohibited any aircraft research and development, and split the major aircraft corporations into smaller enterprises. This continued until 1952 when Japan regained its sovereignty and the authority to manufacture aircraft. Slowly, Japan began rebuilding its industry. Initially, this took the form of repairing and maintaining U.S. aircraft. Slowly, Japan began rebuilding and maintaining U.S. aircraft. Later they entered into a coproduction agreement with the United States and built the F-86, the first of what would be a long series of military aircraft the Japanese would build under license production agreements with American manufacturers. As the Japanese aerospace industry matured, they domestically produced military and commercial aircraft to meet their goal of becoming a leading producer of aircraft for the world market. When their efforts met with limited success, they entered into joint ventures with international companies to increase their experience base and share the risks and extremely high costs associated with aircraft manufacturing. This paper review the Japanese aerospace industry from the period after World War II to the present, and then looks at the future prospects for the industry. Based of their past performance in the aerospace industry and other high technology industries, there is every potential for Japan to become a leading producer of aircraft for the world market.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 25, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA247952
Entities
People
- R. G. Bent Ii
Organizations
- United States Army War College