Former flight attendant named president of Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines named its first female president on Wednesday, a former cabin attendant who rose through the ranks to senior management, taking a deeply symbolic step in a country struggling to close a vast gender gap at work.
Mitsuko Tottori, a senior managing executive officer who joined JAL in 1985, the year it suffered one of the worst crashes in airline history, will become president from April 1, it said in a statement.
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The appointment comes as Japanese companies face increasing pressure to boost gender diversity and tackle a gender pay, Reuters reported.
“There are female employees out there who are struggling with their career steps or going through big life events,” Tottori told a news conference.
“I hope my appointment as a president can encourage them, or give them the courage to take the next step.”
The change comes as the airline seeks to recover from the pandemic-era downturn.
JAL has set itself a target for women to make up 30% of managers across the group by the end of the fiscal year to March 2026. By the end of March 2023, the corresponding figure was 22.8%.
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