Japan Airlines Takes Strong Measures with Leadership Realignment to Regain Public Trust After Pilot Incident in Australia

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Japan Airlines (JAL) Group has announced key leadership changes following a board meeting on February 4, 2025. The restructuring follows a recent pilot-related alcohol incident that led to pay reductions for top executives.

Executive Changes at JAL Group

JAL Group has confirmed adjustments to its board and executive members, aligning roles with enhanced oversight and operational improvements. The newly assigned leadership roles are as follows:

• Akasaka Yuji remains Representative Director-Chairperson but will no longer serve as Chief Safety Officer. His primary role will focus on chairing board meetings.
• Nakagawa Yukio has been promoted from Executive Officer to Managing Executive Officer, taking on responsibilities in corporate safety and security, family assistance, and support chief safety officer instead of procurement.
• Tachibana Munekazu transitions from Managing Executive Officer to Executive Officer, moving from corporate safety oversight to a special assistant role to the president.
• Ogawa Noriko joins JAL as a new Executive Officer, overseeing procurement while also serving as Deputy Senior Vice President of General Affairs.

Pay Cuts Following Pilot Incident

In January 2025, Japanese media reported that JAL had imposed a 30% salary reduction for two months on two of its top executives—President Mitsuko Tottori and Chairperson Yuji Akasaka—as a consequence of a December 2024 pilot drinking incident.

Additionally, three executives from the airline’s flight operations and safety divisions faced disciplinary actions.

The issue arose on December 1, 2024, when JAL flight JL 774, scheduled to depart from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT), was delayed for over three hours after two pilots failed alcohol tests.

JAL’s History of Alcohol-Related Disciplinary Measures

This is not the first time JAL has taken action following pilot misconduct. In 2018, the airline reduced executive pay by up to 20% for three months after a pilot was caught intoxicated before a flight from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Tokyo. That pilot was later sentenced to jail. At the time, Akasaka was also one of the executives involved in addressing the issue.

JAL Group’s latest leadership restructuring underscores its commitment to strict safety measures and corporate accountability as it seeks to rebuild trust in its operations.