U.S. aircraft maker Boeing Co. signed a deal Thursday with Japanese manufacturers for work on the new 787 jetliner, marking the biggest involvement of this nation's companies in a Boeing project.

Officials from Boeing, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. signed a contract for the deal at a Tokyo hotel, inking an agreement reached last year.

The deal for the 787 Dreamliner -- a fuel-efficient aircraft set to go into production next year -- is a victory for the Japanese manufacturers, which are taking part in the jet's development and design from the start and will be responsible for making 35 percent of the aircraft.

The three Japanese companies, which have had a decades-long relationship with Boeing, had built about 21 percent of the Boeing 777 airframe and 15 percent of the 767.

The 787 deal marks the first time a company other than Boeing will be making the main wing components.

"The Japan-Boeing relationship is a really good example of the strength that comes from years of friendship and hard work, as well as dedication to excellence," said Boeing Vice President Mike Bair, who leads the team developing the 787.

Chicago-based Boeing is locked in a tight struggle with European rival Airbus SAS for supremacy in passenger jet sales as the airline industry shows signs of recovering.

The competition is epitomized by the battle between the 787 and the Airbus A380 superjumbo.

Mitsubishi Heavy Managing Director Nobuo Toda said the 787 is a critical deal for Japanese manufacturers in giving them an edge over emerging rivals in China and elsewhere in Asia.

"We're hoping to gain the position that will allow us to survive the competition for next-generation aircraft," he told reporters.