Fundraiser launched for Japanese air medical jet
The Japan Critical Care Jet Network (JCCN) non-profit organization has launched a crowdfunding campaign to lease a fixed-wing air ambulance
The campaign hopes to raise ¥100 million to temporarily acquire and operate an air medical jet for a one-year trial period.
In the envisioned trial, the aircraft would be based at Osaka International Airport, and would be used to conduct long-distance medical transfers to specialized hospitals.
The trial service would be unusual in the context of the Japanese air medical sector – while the country recently achieved nationwide air ambulance coverage for localized helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), long-distance transfers by fixed-wing aircraft remain unusual.
JCCN was founded in October 2022 with the aim of ‘establishing a network for transporting critically ill patients in Japan by jet’.
The only other Japanese fixed-wing service in currently in operation was established by the Hokkaido Air Medical Network in 2010.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca was a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.