Japan's first passenger jet made its first test flight on Wednesday, a landmark in a decadelong program to launch the plane aimed at competing with Brazilian and Canadian rivals in the global market for smaller aircraft.

About half a century after the last Japanese-made commercial plane took to the skies, the Mitsubishi Regional Jet, painted with dark blue, red and beige stripes, took off from Nagoya airport under clear skies for a 90-minute trip.

After being barred from developing aircraft following World War II, Japan - and its MRJ jet - is competing with other regional passenger jet manufacturers such as Brazil's Embraer and Canada's Bombardier.