The postponement of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), the fifth since the programme began, means its launch customer, ANA Holdings Inc (>> ANA Holdings Inc), will not receive delivery until 2020, the firm said in a press release.

Two people with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Friday that the jet would be delayed by around two years.

The aircraft maker, which is two-thirds owned by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (>> Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd), has so far secured 233 firm orders with 194 options to buy.

The $47 million, 90-seat jet, which made its maiden test flight in November, represents Japan's long-held ambition to revive a commercial aircraft industry dismantled by the United States after Japan's defeat in World War Two.

Production of Japan's last passenger plane, the 60-seat YS-11, ended half a century ago after it failed to secure enough orders.

The latest setback could hurt the Japanese plane maker's chances of winning fresh orders in a market dominated by Brazil's Embraer SA (>> Embraer SA) and Canada's Bombardier Inc (>> Bombardier, Inc.).

Japan's biggest carmaker, Toyota Motor Corp (>> Toyota Motor Corp), and its largest trading company, Mitsubishi Corp (>> Mitsubishi Corp), each own 10 percent in the regional jet venture. Other shareholders include Sumitomo Corp (>> Sumitomo Corp) and Mitsui & Co Ltd (>> Mitsui & Co Ltd).

(Reporting by Tim Kelly and Maki Shiraki; Editing by Randy Fabi)