Japan Airlines has appointed its first female leader, following the promotion of its chief customer officer Mitsuko Tottori to helm the carrier.
Tottori, a JAL veteran of almost 40 years, will assume the role of president and representative director from 1 April, taking over from Akasaka Yuji who will become airline chair.
The move marks the first time a Japanese major airline is being led by a female president, and is also JAL’s first president with a flight attendant background.
Tottori, 59, joined JAL in 1985, and was in 2015 promoted to be the senior director of cabin crew affairs. By 2019, she was the vice president of the cabin safety department, before being promoted to senior vice president, cabin attendants a year later.
In April 2023, Tottori became senior vice president of customer experience, overseeing the brand communication portfolio. Two months later, she took on the role of chief customer officer, where she will remain until April.
The airline adds: “JAL Group will strive in unity towards ensuring the highest level of safety in all flight operations, continue to improve the quality of the products and services to our valued customers, and raise its corporate value and contribute to the growth and development of society.”
