It was founded during April 1957 by executives from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Fuji Heavy Industries, Shinmeiwa Manufacturing, Sumitomo, Nihon Kogata Hikoki, Showa Aircraft, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries to design and manufacture a Japanese civilian turboprop airliner to replace the obsolete Douglas DC-3.
The group was founded in April 1957 by executives from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Fuji Heavy Industries, Shinmeiwa Manufacturing, Sumitomo, Nihon Kogata Hikoki, Showa Aircraft, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries to design and produce a Japanese civilian turboprop airliner that would replace the obsolete Douglas DC-3.