Mitsubishi Aircraft Recognized with 2011 Japan-US Intrapreneurs Award

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. has won the 2011 Japan-US Intrapreneurs Award in recognition of its high-tech, "green" Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) and the "intrapreneurial" process by which it was created, the Japan Society of Northern California (JSNC) announced.

In a release, JSNC noted:

Nobuo Toda, recently retired chairman of Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. and driver of the MRJ project, will accept the award at the first Japan-US Innovation Day conference on July 15 at Stanford University. He will discuss the MRJ and his company's intrapreneurial process on-stage with Allen Miner, chairman of SunBridge Corp. and chairman of the Japan-US Innovation Awards steering committee.

The Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), Japan's first serious contender in civil aviation since the 1960s, is a family of 70- to 90-seat next-generation regional jets featuring aerodynamic design, noise analysis technologies and a game-changing engine to cut fuel consumption, noise, and emissions. The jet is designed to improve airline competitiveness and profitability by combining top-class operational economy with outstanding cabin comfort. The sleek aircraft features four-abreast seats, large overhead bins and a slim seat for passenger comfort.

The Japan-US Innovation in Business and Technology Awards, presented in three different categories, are a new JSNC initiative in collaboration with Stanford's US-Asia Technology Management Center and other Northern California partners to highlight the dynamic advancement by US and Japanese firms with a footprint in both countries.

The Intrapreneur Award recognizes large global enterprises not usually included in discussions of entrepreneurism. Winning companies must have brought to market a significant internally driven innovation, rather than growing through acquisitions.

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. joins Salesforce.com Emerging Leader Award winners SanBio and Tesla Motors as the first winners of what will be an annual award and conference on innovation in the US and Japan. The winners in the third and final category -- World Changers -- will be announced on the eve of next week's July 15 conference.

Registration:

www.usjinnovate.org for details and registration

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