Local News

With the region’s core automotive and semiconductor industries suffering from the economic doldrums, the government of Fukuoka Prefecture is turning to the aviation industry to pick up the slack through two separate projects. The first is an effort to attract aircraft body assembly plants to the area near the new Kitakyushu Airport. The second is to attract educational institutions that train maintenance personnel for aviation companies in Asia. Gov. Wataru Aso told the Nishinippon Shimbun that increased demand in Asia is expected to double the aircraft market in about 20 years to roughly 20 trillion yen.