Japan’s All Nippon Airways, or ANA Group, has launched a non-fungible token (NFT) platform known as “ANA GranWhale NFT MarketPlace” to trade art and photograph collectibles through its metaverse subsidiary ANA NEO, the company tweeted on Thursday.



See related article: Japan government’s crypto czar touts nation’s Web3 capabilities



Fast facts




In a separate statement on May 30, ANA said the first NFT products featuring works of aviation photographer Luke Ozawa have been put up for bidding on Tuesday, and more collections, including those featuring Boeing 787 aircraft, will be available starting June 7.



Artists and creators will be able to sell their works as NFTs on the marketplace, and certain NFTs will be up for trading, according to the new marketplace’s website .



“Through this initiative, we aim to unlock the potential of NFTs in the aviation industry, bringing together the digital and physical realms to create unique and memorable experiences,” Mitsuo Tomita, president of ANA NEO, said in the Tuesday statement.



ANA NEO in November partnered with the government of Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands, to “digitally construct” certain areas of Hokkaido to showcase its nature, food and culture through the company’s metaverse platform ANA GranWhale .



In October 2022, ANA NEO said it raised 1.3 billion yen (US$9.4 million) in a second round of fundraising, bringing the total to 5.8 billion yen since inception.



The Japanese government has become increasingly supportive of emerging metaverse technology as a pillar of the country’s economic future. A government-affiliated white paper released in April detailed plans the country has for adopting Web3 technologies.




See related article: Looking to expand Web3 activities into Japan? Watch the biggest firms for clues, says gaming protocol founder