Japan Airlines invests in Morisora’s SAF refinery

Japan Airlines announced that it has invested in Morisora Bio Refinery to advance sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced from domestically-sourced woody biomass bioethanol.

The Morisora refinery is a joint venture established in July 2025 by Nippon Paper, Sumitomo Corporation and Green Earth Institute. The venture seeks to commercialise production and sale of bioethanol and biochemical products derived from woody biomass feedstock.

A demonstration plant will be constructed within Nippon Paper’s Iwanuma mill in Miyagi Prefecture, using sustainable forest resources such as wood processing residues from the Tohoku region.

Japan Airlines has participated in Project Morisora since March 2025.

The companies held a groundbreaking ceremony called “Jichin-sai” at the demonstration plant site within Nippon Paper’s Iwanuma mill on October 3, 2025.

The plant is scheduled for completion in fiscal year 2026, with plans to operate a commercial facility capable of producing tens of thousands of kiloliters of bioethanol and biochemical products annually by 2030.