Why Japan Can't Build Its Own Passenger Jets | Greg Feith Analysis

Описание: After spending $10 billion over 15 years, Mitsubishi canceled the SpaceJet program in 2023—despite the plane actually flying and having airline orders. This is the second time Japan has failed to create a successful commercial airliner. But here's the paradox: Japanese engineers build 35% of the Boeing 787, manufacture wings for cutting-edge aircraft, and are world leaders in aerospace manufacturing. So why can't Japan build its own passenger jet?
In this deep-dive documentary, aviation expert Greg Feith explores the fascinating story of Japan's aviation industry—from the devastating 7-year post-WWII aviation ban that erased institutional knowledge, through the YS-11's commercial failure in the 1970s, to the recent SpaceJet catastrophe.
What You'll Learn:

The 1945-1952 aviation ban that set Japan back an entire generation
Why the YS-11 turboprop failed despite being technically sound
How Japan became the world's premier aerospace parts supplier
The hidden problems that killed the Mitsubishi SpaceJet (MRJ)
Why US pilot scope clauses doomed the regional jet market strategy
The brutal economics that punish new entrants in commercial aviation
Whether Japan will ever try again—and why they probably won't

Key Topics Covered:

Post-WWII Allied occupation and aviation restrictions
NAMC consortium and the YS-11 program (1962-1974)
Japan's strategic pivot to becoming Boeing/Airbus suppliers
Mitsubishi SpaceJet development timeline and failures
FAA certification nightmares and documentation gaps
The winner-takes-all dynamics of the commercial aviation market
Why being a supplier is actually Japan's smart play

This isn't a story about bad engineering—Japan has world-class talent. It's about timing, politics, institutional memory, market barriers, and an industry designed to crush newcomers. After two devastating failures costing billions, Japan has found its niche: building the wings, fuselages, and structures that literally hold the world's best aircraft together—without the glory or the crushing risk.
Narrated by Greg Feith - Aviation safety expert with decades of industry experience
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Video Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction: The $10 Billion Failure
1:15 - The SpaceJet Paradox: Building Boeing's Wings But Not Their Own Planes
2:30 - Chapter 1: The 1945 Aviation Ban That Changed Everything
4:45 - How 7 Years Destroyed Japan's Aviation Industry
6:20 - The Lost Generation: Institutional Knowledge Erased
8:00 - Chapter 2: The YS-11 - Japan's First Attempt (1962-1974)
9:30 - Why Japanese Airlines Chose Boeing Over Domestic Aircraft
11:15 - The YS-11's Commercial Failure and Lessons Learned
13:00 - Chapter 3: The Strategic Pivot - Becoming the World's Best Supplier
14:30 - Japan's Role in Boeing 787: 35% of the Aircraft
16:00 - The Hidden Cost: Losing Complete Aircraft Design Experience
17:45 - Chapter 4: The SpaceJet Dream (2007-2023)
19:00 - Certification Nightmares: What Mitsubishi Didn't Understand
21:00 - The Scope Clause Trap: How US Pilot Unions Killed the Market
23:00 - COVID-19 and the Final Cancellation
24:15 - Chapter 5: Why New Entrants Can't Win in Commercial Aviation
26:00 - The Winner-Takes-All Market Dynamics
27:15 - Why Japan's Supplier Role is Actually the Smart Strategy
28:00 - Will Japan Ever Try Again?
28:45 - Conclusion & Final Thoughts
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