Sojitz, BETA, Yamato HD, and City of Kitakyushu Sign Agreement for Joint Verification Testing of Air Cargo by Electric Aircraft at Kitakyushu Airport - Providing Logistics Solutions with Japan’s First Electric Aircraft for Dedicated Cargo Transport to Fly Between Two Locations -

Sojitz Corporation (“Sojitz”), BETA Technologies Inc. (“BETA”), Yamato Holdings Co., Ltd. (“Yamato HD”), and City of Kitakyushu have signed an agreement as of January 20 to conduct joint verification of air cargo by electric aircraft based at Kitakyushu Airport. Verification tests will be conducted to assess economic rationality, operational efficiency (loading and unloading), and technological efficiency (charging equipment). Around Summer 2025, the four parties plan to conduct a flight*¹ of BETA’s ALIA CTOL, which is an electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL*²) aircraft. This project is expected to mark Japan’s first*³ flight of an electric aircraft for dedicated cargo transport between two locations. Through these verification tests, the four parties aim to expedite cargo transport for regional revitalization, realize decarbonization in the logistics industry, and strengthen logistics networks serving rural areas and remote islands in order to build a sustainable logistics network.

Japan’s logistics industry faces challenges such as the need for decarbonization of the transportation sector, which accounts for 18.5% of Japan’s total CO₂ emissions,*⁴ and the need to maintain logistics networks in rural regions and remote islands with progressing depopulation.

Sojitz has served as the sales agent for Boeing aircraft in Japan for over 65 years and possesses extensive experience in the aircraft industry with networks that include aircraft manufacturers, airlines, and jet operation support companies. Sojitz has been working with BETA since 2022 to develop Japan’s electric aircraft market, and Sojitz will provide support including assistance with the aircraft certification process in Japan and with methods to introduce electric aircraft as an effective and convenient means of transport.

Safety is BETA’s highest priority as it strives to realize social implementation of electric aircraft. Development is underway for both eCTOL aircraft and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for use in fields such as logistics, defense, medical transport, and passenger transport. In the U.S., BETA has demonstrated a track record of successful manned test flights, and has significant partnerships with the U.S. military, medical, and passenger operators. By the end of 2024, BETA had set up 44 in-house developed charging stations in the U.S. BETA will work to obtain type certification for ALIA CTOL aircraft by the end of 2025.

Yamato HD announced its “Sustainability Transformation 2030 ~1st Stage~” under the Yamato Group’s medium-term management plan, and Yamato HD strives to realize a sustainable future together with its diverse range of partners by continuing to create “New logistics” and “New value” for society. In July 2023, Yamato HD concluded a logistics partnership agreement with the City of Kitakyushu. Under this strong partnership, Yamato HD is working to build a sustainable logistics network and increase competitiveness of local industries with the introduction of a new form of transport such as cargo aircraft from April 2024 with Kitakyushu Airport as the air cargo transport hub.

City of Kitakyushu seeks to utilize cutting-edge technology to create new business and services based around Kitakyushu Airport. Based on the logistics partnership agreement with Yamato HD, City of Kitakyushu made the decision to join this verification project as part of its efforts to support a new form of transport that is not only environmentally friendly, but also supports economic and social development.
The ALIA CTOL aircraft to be used for the verification tests is an electric conventional takeoff and landing aircraft that does not use jet fuel. The ALIA CTOL has a payload of over 560 kg and a cruising range of over 400 km. Electric aircraft are anticipated to be a more efficient, CO₂ emission-free method of cargo transport compared to former methods such as trucks and ships.

Verification testing will involve financial simulations of replacing traditional forms of cargo transport with electric aircraft transport to assess economic rationality, operational testing such as loading and unloading, and testing of technological efficiency such as charging equipment. Test flights are expected to be conducted with a flight route between Kitakyushu Airport and Miyazaki Airport.

Sojitz, Yamato HD, BETA, and City of Kitakyushu aim to confirm the possibilities and issues related to electric aircraft for air cargo transport in Japan in order to build a sustainable logistics network.

• *1: Test flights subject to approval by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.


• *2: 75% of the aerostructure for BETA’ eCTOL matches the eVTOL.


• *3: Sojitz study


• *4: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s report on carbon dioxide emissions in the transportation sector
  (https://www.mlit.go.jp/sogoseisaku/environment/sosei_environment_tk_000007.html)

[Related Information]

Sojitz Corporation Public Relations Dept. +81-3-6871-3404
Yamato Holdings Co., Ltd. Corporate Communication Strategy +81-3541-4141
City of Kitakyushu Kitakyushu Seaport and Airport Bureau Airport Planning Division +81-93-582-2308