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タイ在住11年目、妻はタイ人、娘が2人、養女が2人

The Yomiuri Shimbun
MRJ’s maiden flight must lead to broader horizons for aircraft industry
ＭＲＪ初飛行　航空機産業の裾野を広げたい

Japan’s first domestic-made passenger jet has successfully completed its maiden flight.
　日本初となる「日の丸ジェット旅客機」が、初飛行に成功した。

The Mitsubishi Regional Jet has been developed by Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. It is the first commercial aircraft to be made in Japan since production of the YS-11 turboprop airliner started about half a century ago.
　三菱航空機が開発した三菱リージョナルジェット（ＭＲＪ）だ。プロペラ機のＹＳ―１１以来、半世紀ぶりとなる国産旅客機である。

We hope this will be a golden opportunity to invigorate the domestic aircraft industry.
　国内の航空機産業を活性化させる契機としたい。

The MRJ is a small plane built for short-distance flights linking cities. Its main selling points are a lightweight body and a new-type engine that has superb fuel efficiency. These features have made the MRJ about 20 percent more fuel-efficient than similar models produced by its competitors. The first delivery of the MRJ is set for 2017.
　ＭＲＪは、都市間を結ぶ近距離路線用の小型機だ。燃料効率に優れた新型エンジンと軽量化した機体が売り物で、ライバル機より２割程度、燃費が良い。２０１７年に初号機の納入が予定される。

The global market for small passenger planes is expected to grow rapidly. In the next 20 years, demand is expected to top 5,000 jets, especially in emerging economies such as nations in Southeast Asia that are experiencing sizzling economic growth. The MRJ aims to capture orders for half of this market.
　小型機の分野は、世界的に有望な市場だ。経済成長が著しい東南アジアなどの新興国を中心に、今後２０年間で５０００機を超える需要が見込まれる。ＭＲＪは、その半数の受注を目指している。

A string of design changes and other factors resulted in the MRJ’s first flight taking to the skies about four years later than initially scheduled. During this time, the MRJ’s superiority over its rivals has undeniably been eroded.
　ＭＲＪの初飛行は、相次ぐ設計変更などで、当初の予定から４年も遅れた。その間にＭＲＪの優位性が低下したことは否めない。

At present, Bombardier Inc. of Canada and Embraer SA of Brazil dominate the market for regional jets. The key to the MRJ’s success will be how it can break the stranglehold these companies have on the market.
　現在、カナダ・ボンバルディア、ブラジル・エンブラエル両社が高い占有率を保持している。これをどう切り崩すかがカギとなる。

Give companies support

Orders have already been received for more than 400 MRJ planes. Overseas sales promotions by top-ranking government officials will be essential to rake in more orders.
　ＭＲＪには既に、４００機超の受注がある。上積みするには、政府による海外へのトップセールスが欠かせまい。

If more orders are locked in, the MRJ can be expected to nurture a core industry that will be a driving force for Japanese economic growth.
　受注が増えれば、航空機が、日本の経済成長を牽引けんいんする基幹産業に育つことも期待できよう。

Major companies in Japan’s aircraft industry, such as Toray Industries and IHI Corp., have participated in developing passenger jets for Boeing Co. of the United States. They have refined their technologies while supplying carbon fiber parts for main wings and other components. It is vital for the expertise fostered by these large companies to be spread to small and midsize businesses.
　日本の航空機産業では、東レやＩＨＩなども米ボーイング社の旅客機開発に参画し、主翼用の炭素繊維部品などを供給しながら技術を磨いてきた。大企業が培ったノウハウを中小企業に波及させていくことが重要である。

In specific terms, we hope the proportion of domestically made parts in the MRJ — which is currently stuck at about 30 percent — will be increased as much as possible. Each MRJ is made from about 1 million parts, which is 30 times the number of parts contained in a car. There is wide scope for expansion in this industry.
　具体的には、現在は３割にとどまるＭＲＪの国産部品の比率を、可能な限り引き上げることを目指したい。ＭＲＪの部品点数は、自動車の３０倍の１００万点に及ぶ。産業の裾野は広い。

It is necessary to encourage small and midsize companies possessing excellent technologies to enter this market, and to bring together the might of Japanese manufacturing.
　高い技術を有する中小企業の参入を促し、日本のもの作りの力を結集させる必要がある。

Aerospace Iida established in the Iida district of Nagano Prefecture is a cluster of small and midsize precision-machinery and processing companies working on the development of parts for cockpits and wings. Some parts produced by them have been used in the MRJ.
　長野県飯田地区に設立された「エアロスペース飯田」には、中小の精密機械加工業が集結し、コックピットや翼などの関連部品の生産に取り組んでいる。ＭＲＪに採用されている部品もある。

“Whether we can provide high-quality parts at low cost will be key,” according to a company in Aichi Prefecture that makes the frame of the MRJ tail.
　ＭＲＪの尾翼骨格を製造する愛知県内の企業は「低コストで品質の高い部品を供給できるかが勝負」と意気込んでいる。

The government and large companies that are prime contractors will need to work together and support small and midsize firms with proven records in producing car parts and other components, such as by offering technical guidance tailored to the production of aircraft.
　自動車部品の製造などで実績のある中小企業に、航空機向けの技術指導をするなど、政府や元請けの大企業が連携して支援することが求められる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 13, 2015)