Japan moves to approve commercial flying car

The government has begun making arrangements to permit commercial flying car services carrying paying passengers as early as 2027 or 2028, according to multiple government sources.

Operations are expected to begin with sightseeing flights in urban areas, before eventually expanding to point-to-point services such as routes linking cities and airports. Passenger transportation by flying car, seen as a potential once-in-a-century revolution in mobility, now appears to become a reality sooner rather than later.

Flying car is a broad term for electrically powered vehicles capable of vertical takeoff and landing. They typically seat only a few people, are relatively quiet, and require only small landing areas, making them easier to operate even in densely built urban environments. They are expected to help ease traffic congestion in cities and provide a new transportation option in regional areas.

Applications have already been submitted to the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry for type certification under the Civil Aeronautics Law, a process required for aircraft mass production that also involves safety and other standards. The government appears to have concluded that the review process is moving forward in a way that makes the start of commercial operations feasible.

Commercial service is expected to begin with sightseeing flights in urban areas. Specifically, operations are envisioned for waterfront districts in Tokyo and Osaka. Within two to three years after that, the scope is expected to widen to include short-distance travel between two points and routes linking major airports such as Narita and Kansai with nearby cities.

Competition among companies developing flying cars is already intensifying.

At last year’s Osaka-Kansai Expo, demonstration flights were conducted without passengers on board. In Tokyo, two consortiums were selected last year for the metropolitan government’s flying car implementation project, one made up of nine companies including Japan Airlines Co. and another involving seven companies including Nomura Real Estate Development Co. Beginning in the new fiscal year, full-scale demonstration flights using actual aircraft are set to get underway in Tokyo’s waterfront areas and elsewhere.

International rules governing flying cars are not yet formulated, but Japan’s transport ministry has already established safety measures, including performance requirements for their batteries and a mandate to carry life jackets for flights over water. That gives Japan a position from which it can take the lead in setting the rules for commercial operations.

The government also intends to support the development of flying cars themselves. Last year, the Takaichi administration announced 17 strategic sectors that it would prioritize, and the list included aviation and space.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2026

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