This is the English-language hub page of Sora MyCar Lab, an independent Japanese publication tracking personal aviation in Japan. We are based near Tsubame-Sanjo, the manufacturing region where VEGA is being built. This page is updated as news breaks. Nothing here is official — always confirm details with LAND AERONAUTICS' official site.

The short version

On August 27, 2026, Japanese company LAND announced a new aircraft-manufacturing subsidiary, LAND AERONAUTICS, headquartered in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture — the heart of the Tsubame-Sanjo metalworking region. Its first aircraft, VEGA, is a Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) developed with the U.S. market and the FAA's MOSAIC reform in mind.

Item Detail
Aircraft VEGA — Japan-born Light-Sport Aircraft
Price From ¥25,000,000 (roughly US$170,000)
First run 100 units, "Founder's Edition"
Deposit ¥2,500,000 — fully refundable before the formal purchase agreement, credited toward the price
Claimed features 800 km range, foldable wings, wide cockpit
Delivery date Not yet announced

Who is behind it

  • Naoki Wada — CEO. Previously co-CEO of Toki Air, the regional airline based in Niigata that began flying in 2024.
  • Takafumi Horie — Co-founder and director. Known internationally for founding Interstellar Technologies, the private Japanese rocket company. He has said the goal is to rebuild Japan's aircraft industry "from the technological base up," and is reportedly working toward a pilot license himself.

Why this matters

Japan is arguably the last major industrial country without an LSA ecosystem: the category has no formal place in Japanese aviation law, and only since a December 2022 ministry notification can ASTM/CS-LSA-compliant aircraft fly under an experimental-style permit — daytime VFR only, with a full private pilot license. That is why VEGA targets the U.S. market first, where MOSAIC has just expanded what an LSA can be.

The other notable piece is where it is being built. Tsubame-Sanjo is one of Japan's densest clusters of precision metalworking companies — the region behind Japan's famous knives and cutlery. LAND AERONAUTICS plans to build its supply chain on this local ecosystem. Low-volume, high-precision manufacturing is exactly what this region has done for centuries.

The reservation model

The ¥2.5M deposit buys a slot in the 100-unit Founder's Edition and membership in the VEGA OWNERS CLUB: factory visits, prototype showcases, owner events, and development updates. The deposit is fully refundable until a formal purchase agreement is signed. In effect, it is a refundable ticket to watch a new aircraft company being built from the inside.

Timeline of updates

  • Aug 27, 2026 — LAND AERONAUTICS announced (founded Aug 25). VEGA revealed; reservations open for 100 units at ¥25M+, deposit ¥2.5M.

(New entries will be added here as they happen.)

Open questions we are watching

  • Delivery timeline and detailed specifications (engine, MTOW)
  • ASTM compliance path and U.S. market entry plan
  • Which Tsubame-Sanjo manufacturers join the supply chain
  • Whether Japan's own LSA rules move in response

Sources

Questions or corrections? This site is written in Japanese first — see the Japanese hub article.