Archer Aviation’s Midnight aircraft will feature in a Japan Airlines-led consortium selected by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for the first phase of the “eVTOL Implementation Project.”
Phase one of the Tokyo project will focus on market assessment and building the necessary operating ecosystem, which will lead up to planned demonstration flights over Tokyo Bay and river routes. These steps are considered critical for the goal of ramping up commercial eVTOL operations in the coming years.
The selection acknowledges the existing strategic partnership Archer has with Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corporation through their joint venture eVTOL operating company, Soracle.
Archer and Soracle previously established a strategic alliance in November 2024 to jointly launch air taxi operations across Japan, focusing on cities where existing ground transportation is constrained by traffic or geographic barriers.
Adam Goldstein, Archer’s Founder and CEO, said, “We applaud the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s ‘eVTOL Implementation Program.’ The selection of our consortium to be a part of this innovative government approach gives Archer, together with JAL, Sumitomo Corporation and Soracle, a critical opportunity to help make the promise of urban mobility an everyday reality in Tokyo, the world’s largest city.”
Takao Suzuki, Executive Officer, Senior Vice President-Innovation of Japan Airlines, added, “Japan Airlines is honored to work with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and our consortium partners on the first phase of the eVTOL Implementation Project.”
This new project participation follows recent momentum achieved by Archer in the Asia-Pacific region. In October, Archer announced an exclusive deal with Korean Air that includes the potential purchase of up to 100 Midnight aircraft.
