TEST flights for an electric aircraft will begin at Kitakyushu Airport on April 17, the project’s backers announced.

Major trading company Sojitz Corp., Yamato Holdings Co., the Kitakyushu city government in Fukuoka Prefecture and another entity are behind the project, the aim of which is to use the technology for cargo transportation flights between Kitakyushu, Oita and Miyazaki airports in Kyushu.

The city government was hopeful that the move would be “the first step toward enhancing Kitakyushu Airport’s presence as a hub for new transportation methods.”

Seeking to achieve decarbonisation by using electric aircraft, which emit no carbon dioxide, and to strengthen regional logistics networks, the four parties — which include Beta Technologies, a US startup providing the aircraft — signed a partnership agreement in January last year.

The first test flight will take place in the afternoon of the test flight day with the aim of verifying operational procedures and other details.

The aircraft to be used in the test flight is 12 metres long and 15 metres wide, with a payload capacity of over 560 kilograms. It is said to be capable of flying over 400 kilometers on a single charge.

Kitakyushu Airport is developing into a logistics hub and is the only airport where dedicated cargo aircraft operate in nearby areas. According to the city government, cargo handling volume at the airport in fiscal 2024 was about 36,600 tons, ranking it ninth in Japan. It is expected to exceed that figure in fiscal 2025.

Sojitz, which has been collaborating with Beta Technologies since 2022 to develop the electric aircraft market, selected Kitakyushu Airport — where Yamato Holdings operates dedicated cargo aircraft — as the base for the project.

At a regular press conference on April 9, Kitakyushu Mayor Kazuhisa Takeuchi welcomed the initiative, saying, “This paves the way for Kitakyushu Airport to further establish itself as a logistics hub and to become a base for new modes of transportation that are compatible with the environment.”

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2026