Blab Tech
UrbanV and Japan Airport Consultants Forge Long-Term Partnership to Advance Advanced Air Mobility in Tokyo
UrbanV, the global vertiport network operator, and Japan Airport Consultants, Inc. (JAC), the country’s premier airport consulting firm, announced a long‑term cooperation framework on 12 June 2026. The alliance is set to shape the planning, design, regulatory integration and commercialization of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructures, with a primary focus on Japan and selected international markets.
The partnership’s first milestone is the Tokyo Metropolitan Area project. In this venture, UrbanV will serve as JAC’s strategic technical partner within a consortium led by Japan Airlines and joined by Archer Aviation and other key aviation and airport stakeholders. The project marks a tangible step toward embedding AAM in one of the world’s most complex urban landscapes.
Under the agreement, the two companies will create a flexible framework for joint research and development and consulting. This structure is intended to nurture a long‑term vision, allowing UrbanV to import international benchmarks and facilitate cross‑border knowledge transfer. UrbanV will align local AAM initiatives with emerging global standards, drawing on best practices from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
JAC brings its long‑standing leadership in airport development and deep familiarity with the Japanese aviation ecosystem to the table. Its expertise in airport planning, design and infrastructure development will underpin the realization of safe, sustainable and socially accepted AAM ecosystems in Japan and beyond.
"Japan is globally recognized for its leadership in technology and innovation. We are honored to enter this market through a solid and long‑term partnership with Japan Airport Consultants, a trusted local leader," said Ivan Bassato, Chairman of UrbanV. "As UrbanV begins its journey in the Japanese ecosystem, we look forward to contributing international experience, innovation and sustainable solutions to the future of mobility in Japan and beyond."
"Japan Airport Consultants is pleased to establish this strategic partnership with UrbanV, a leading international player in the development and operation of vertiport networks. As Japan moves toward the social implementation of Advanced Air Mobility, it is essential to combine international experience with a deep understanding of Japan’s airport, aviation, regulatory and urban environments," said Takeya Hirano, General Manager, Planning and Development Department, JAC.
The partnership dovetails with the Japanese government’s broader AAM roadmap, which was revised in March 2026 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The roadmap calls for integrated discussions between public and private sectors on use cases and regulatory development related to AAM. Tokyo’s Metropolitan Government has already selected a consortium for its eVTOL implementation project, which will feature Archer Aviation’s Midnight aircraft and other eVTOL platforms.
UrbanV’s involvement in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area project follows a series of international collaborations that the company has pursued in recent years. In 2025, UrbanV partnered with Future Flight Global to develop a vertiport test site at Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport. Earlier, the company signed agreements with Korea Airports Corporation, Saudi Arabia’s Cluster2 and other airport operators to build vertiport networks and create AAM ecosystems.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Area project will serve as a testbed for integrating vertiports into a dense urban environment. The consortium will tackle technical, regulatory and operational aspects of eVTOL services, including air traffic management, safety protocols and community engagement. The project’s outcomes are expected to inform future AAM deployments across Japan and potentially in other markets.
While the partnership is newly announced, the framework is designed to support a long‑term vision and collaboration. The first initiative focuses on Tokyo, but the agreement explicitly allows for expansion into other international opportunities as the AAM industry evolves.
In summary, UrbanV and JAC have entered a strategic partnership to advance AAM in Japan, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Area project as the initial focus. The collaboration will leverage UrbanV’s global vertiport expertise and JAC’s local airport consulting capabilities to support planning, design, regulatory integration and commercialization of AAM infrastructures. The partnership aligns with Japan’s AAM roadmap and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s eVTOL implementation program, positioning both companies to influence the future of urban air mobility in one of the world’s most complex cities.
The partnership’s first milestone is the Tokyo Metropolitan Area project. In this venture, UrbanV will serve as JAC’s strategic technical partner within a consortium led by Japan Airlines and joined by Archer Aviation and other key aviation and airport stakeholders. The project marks a tangible step toward embedding AAM in one of the world’s most complex urban landscapes.
Under the agreement, the two companies will create a flexible framework for joint research and development and consulting. This structure is intended to nurture a long‑term vision, allowing UrbanV to import international benchmarks and facilitate cross‑border knowledge transfer. UrbanV will align local AAM initiatives with emerging global standards, drawing on best practices from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
JAC brings its long‑standing leadership in airport development and deep familiarity with the Japanese aviation ecosystem to the table. Its expertise in airport planning, design and infrastructure development will underpin the realization of safe, sustainable and socially accepted AAM ecosystems in Japan and beyond.
"Japan is globally recognized for its leadership in technology and innovation. We are honored to enter this market through a solid and long‑term partnership with Japan Airport Consultants, a trusted local leader," said Ivan Bassato, Chairman of UrbanV. "As UrbanV begins its journey in the Japanese ecosystem, we look forward to contributing international experience, innovation and sustainable solutions to the future of mobility in Japan and beyond."
"Japan Airport Consultants is pleased to establish this strategic partnership with UrbanV, a leading international player in the development and operation of vertiport networks. As Japan moves toward the social implementation of Advanced Air Mobility, it is essential to combine international experience with a deep understanding of Japan’s airport, aviation, regulatory and urban environments," said Takeya Hirano, General Manager, Planning and Development Department, JAC.
The partnership dovetails with the Japanese government’s broader AAM roadmap, which was revised in March 2026 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The roadmap calls for integrated discussions between public and private sectors on use cases and regulatory development related to AAM. Tokyo’s Metropolitan Government has already selected a consortium for its eVTOL implementation project, which will feature Archer Aviation’s Midnight aircraft and other eVTOL platforms.
UrbanV’s involvement in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area project follows a series of international collaborations that the company has pursued in recent years. In 2025, UrbanV partnered with Future Flight Global to develop a vertiport test site at Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport. Earlier, the company signed agreements with Korea Airports Corporation, Saudi Arabia’s Cluster2 and other airport operators to build vertiport networks and create AAM ecosystems.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Area project will serve as a testbed for integrating vertiports into a dense urban environment. The consortium will tackle technical, regulatory and operational aspects of eVTOL services, including air traffic management, safety protocols and community engagement. The project’s outcomes are expected to inform future AAM deployments across Japan and potentially in other markets.
While the partnership is newly announced, the framework is designed to support a long‑term vision and collaboration. The first initiative focuses on Tokyo, but the agreement explicitly allows for expansion into other international opportunities as the AAM industry evolves.
In summary, UrbanV and JAC have entered a strategic partnership to advance AAM in Japan, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Area project as the initial focus. The collaboration will leverage UrbanV’s global vertiport expertise and JAC’s local airport consulting capabilities to support planning, design, regulatory integration and commercialization of AAM infrastructures. The partnership aligns with Japan’s AAM roadmap and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s eVTOL implementation program, positioning both companies to influence the future of urban air mobility in one of the world’s most complex cities.
