Tokyo, Japan (November 20, 2024) – Bell Textron Co., Ltd., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, is proud to celebrate a decade since its formation as a registered company in Japan, honoring a 72-year legacy.

“As Bell Japan commemorates the 10th anniversary of its opening, we are reminded of an outstanding legacy in the Japanese archipelago that we have carefully cultivated for 72 years,” said Danny Maldonado, chief commercial officer, Bell. “Bell Japan embodies the spirit of kaizen, innovation and growth, so this milestone is not just a reflection of our past achievements, but a testament of our commitment to collaboration and excellence – all of which continue to drive us forward in such a dynamic market.”

1952 – Founders of Japan Helicopter & Aeroplane Transports Co., Ltd., the predecessor of All Nippon Airways, with one of two Bell 47D-1s they purchased.

1953 – Their goal was to restore regular air transportation services disrupted by World War Two so Japan Helicopter & Aeroplane Transports Co., Ltd. bought two Bell 47D-1s to kickstart helicopter operations.

2020 – One of two Bell 47D-1s, belonging to Japan Helicopter & Aeroplane Transports Co., Ltd. (now All Nippon Airways), being prepared for relocation to an ANA facility in Tokyo.

(Images courtesy of All Nippon Airways)

Historically, Bell has supplied most of the helicopters – over 1,500 aircraft – that have been used or are still in service in Japan. It all started with the first delivery of three Bell 47D-1s to Mainichi Press, Yomiuri Press and Chunichi Press in November 1952. A few weeks later, Japan Helicopter & Aeroplane Transports Co., Ltd., the predecessor of All Nippon Airways, received two Bell 47D-1s to establish a helicopter service, which officially began operations in February 1953. Between 1952 and 1960, about 19 Bell Model 47 aircraft were delivered into Japan.

1960 – Shin-Nihon Helicopter came into business in 1960 and has utilized Bell aircraft ever since, including this Bell 47G-2 – their first helicopter.

(Image courtesy of Shin-Nihon Helicopter)

2017 – NAKANIHON AIR has purchased around 80 aircraft from Bell since 1960 and in 2017, at Heli-Expo 2017, they added to the tally with an order for two Bell 429s, configured for Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) work.

2019 – Shin-Nihon Helicopter became the first operator in Japan to purchase the Bell 407GXi. Two Bell 407GXis were delivered to them in 2021 and are presently being used to conduct powerline patrol missions.

The cornerstone of Bell’s presence in the country is the unwavering support and belief of the customers. NAKANIHON AIR and Shin-Nihon Helicopter both made the Bell 47G-2 their first purchase in 1960. NAKANIHON AIR, appointed a Customer Service Facility (CSF) in May 1994, has purchased around 80 Bell aircraft over a period of 60 years while Shin-Nihon Helicopter, specializing in powerline patrols, became the first in Japan to purchase the Bell 407GXi in 2019.

2024 – Japan General Aviation Service (JGAS) became the first in the country to purchase a Designer Series Bell 429, which elevates the cabin experience with superior leathers, enhanced upholstery and hardwood flooring.

Aero Asahi’s genesis is closely tied to Bell as well – they launched operations in 1955, using two Bell Model 47s and became a CSF in 1994. In May 2018, Aero Asahi received their 23rd Bell rotorcraft, a Bell 412EP. Japan General Aviation Service (JGAS) was named Japan’s sole Bell 505 Authorized Maintenance Center (AMC) in 2022, performing maintenance work for both commercial and government-operated aircraft. JGAS also purchased Japan’s first Designer Series Bell 429 for corporate transport work in March 2024.

In 1960, Bell made another leap in the archipelago – a technical assistance agreement was signed with SUBARU (known as Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. until 2017), a brand steeped in Japanese heritage, and they received an order of UH-1B utility helicopters from the Defense Agency. This was the beginning of a longstanding relationship between Bell and SUBARU.

1960s – An ad for the FUJI-BELL 204B and SUBARU 360; the aircraft was the commercial variant of the UH-1B and SUBARU (known as Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. until 2017) began production for it in 1964 after signing a technical assistance agreement with Bell in 1960.

1995 – The FUJI-BELL 205B, an improvement of the FUJI-BELL 204B, obtained type certification from Japan Civil Aviation Bureau and was introduced to market.

2016 – Aomori Prefecture’s Firefighting and Disaster Prevention Agency was the first customer for the Bell 412EP in Japan in 1995 and 21 years on, they became the inaugural Japanese customer for the Bell 412EPI.

2021 – Japan’s National Police Agency takes delivery of the world’s first SUBARU BELL 412EPX, an upgrade of the renowned Bell 412 series. It is operated by the Iwate Prefectural Police for policing.

(Images courtesy of SUBARU)

Licensed production of the UH-1B commercial variant, the FUJI-BELL 204B, began in 1964. The UH-1J was developed as the successor of the UH-1B / 1H and soon after, the FUJI-BELL 205B was introduced to the market in 1995. In June 2022, SUBARU delivered the first locally manufactured UH-2 utility helicopter to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The UH-2 was produced, based on the SUBARU BELL 412EPX, which was jointly developed for military and commercial markets as an advanced variant of the Bell 412EPI.

2018 – After four Bell 505s were delivered to the Japan Coast Guard (JCG), they became the first governmental agency globally to use the model as a basic helicopter trainer.

As an appointed CSF, SUBARU services Bell’s legacy models, such as the Bell 204, Bell 205B and Bell 412EP, on top of assembling, repairing and customizing Bell aircraft for the Japan Coast Guard, National Police Agency and other government agencies.

1966 / 1967 – Bell helicopters were heavily involved in the filming of You Only Live Twice, the fifth movie in the James Bond series, which was primarily done in Japan. Shown here is the Kawasaki-Bell 47G-3, utilized as a pursuit craft in a few scenes and as a filming platform.

(Image courtesy of Graham Thomas)

Having proven their worth in utility work, Bell aircraft have made their presence known on the silver screen, too. Bell’s helicopters were heavily used to support the filming of the fifth James Bond film, You Only Live Twice, primarily done in Japan between July 1966 and March 1967. A Bell UH-1 was used for location work while the Kawasaki-Bell 47G-3 was utilized as a pursuit craft in a few scenes and as a filming platform that allowed the cameraman to perch half-in, half-out of the cabin.

2024 – It was announced, in July, that the Aichi Prefectural Police has placed an order for a Bell 505. Upon delivery, they will become the first law enforcement agency in Asia Pacific to operate the Bell 505 for airborne law enforcement work.

Although the Bell 47D-1 and FUJI-BELL 204B / 205B, among others, have long since ceased production and now reside in the annals of aviation history, Bell's current line-up – including the Bell 505, Bell 407GXi, SUBARU BELL 412EPX and Bell 429 – showcases the tremendous strides the company has made in innovation within the commercial sector. These modern aircraft not only epitomize Bell's determination to revolutionize technology and performance but also underscore the expansion of Bell's footprint in Japan, a key market that has warmly embraced the brand's legacy and its values for 72 years and counting.

Press Contact:

DARIEL LIM

jlim01@bellflight.com

+65 8202-3091