Mitsuko Tottori, Chief Executive Officer of Japan Airlines, has taken her third 30% pay cut this year following a recent alcohol-related incident involving cabin crew members. According to recent reports, this marks the third time in 2025 that the CEO has voluntarily reduced her salary for employee misconduct, with previous cuts occurring due to drunk pilots causing flight delays. The latest incident involved two cabin crew members drinking alcohol within twelve hours of a domestic flight, resulting in a 30-minute delay while replacements were found. As reported by Kyodo News, the crew members had reportedly consumed only two beers and two glasses of wine, but this was enough to put them over the legal limit, demonstrating how strict Japan Airlines' alcohol policies truly are.
The disciplinary actions resulted from two cabin attendants drinking the day before a domestic flight, despite company policy prohibiting drinking beyond a certain time before a flight. As reported by Kyodo News, one cabin crew member was fired, while another crew member was suspended for disregarding the policy. The incident involved a chief purser who had worked for the company since 1992 and a flight attendant with seven years of service. The flight attendant called in sick, while the purser showed up on time but failed the required alcohol test. A Japan Airlines spokesperson told Business Insider that "through these measures, we demonstrate our uncompromising commitment to strengthening our oversight and executing fundamental organisational reform."
Following the incident, Japan Airlines has implemented stricter regulations for crew members during layovers. According to recent reports, flight attendants are now completely banned from drinking any alcohol during layovers, regardless of the time period. This represents an escalation from the previous twelve-hour restriction, as the company acknowledges this as a recurring issue that requires more stringent measures. The company accepted "full accountability for the structural weaknesses that failed to prevent this incident and for the insufficiency of our previous safety measures."
Mitsuko Tottori, Chief Executive Officer of Japan Airlines, will take a 30% cut in her monthly salary for two months following the latest incident. The airline called the incident "an extremely serious management failure," with the company's safety manager, Yukio Nakagawa, and cabin services manager, Junko Nakano, receiving 20% pay reductions for one month. All other directors and executive officers will receive 10% reductions for a month, as confirmed by a Japan Airlines spokesperson. The CEO's repeated salary cuts highlight the airline's commitment to accountability, though critics question whether such measures effectively deter employee misconduct.
Despite the CEO's third pay cut this year, many observers are questioning whether the financial disciplinary approach is effective. Curtis Milhaupt, a Stanford Law School professor with expertise on Japan's legal system, explained that such measures are often more symbolic than a foolproof deterrent. "It's simply a way of communicating a sense of responsibility to the public," he said, noting that "there is plenty of corporate misconduct in Japan, as there is everywhere. So it is doubtful that these expressions of remorse effectively deter misconduct." The airline's repeated incidents suggest that while executives can take accountability, they may not have complete control over all crew members' behavior, as this incident demonstrates.
