Overview

• President Mitsuko Tottori’s salary will be reduced by 30% for two months, while the chief safety officer and head of flight operations face 20% cuts for one month and 34 other executives will take 10% cuts for one month.
• The penalties come after an Aug. 28 Honolulu incident in which a captain drank three bottles of 9.5% beer the day before duty, triggering delays of roughly 18 to 20 hours across three flights to Japan.
• Japan Airlines dismissed the 64-year-old captain on Sept. 11 as a disciplinary measure, and authorities are considering additional administrative penalties.
• On Sept. 10, the transport ministry issued a stern warning citing inadequate management and supervision of alcohol consumption and ordered the carrier to report preventive steps.
• The airline acknowledged that prior efforts to raise safety awareness were insufficient after repeated cases, including failed pre-flight alcohol tests in December 2024, and it has previously docked executives’ pay over similar lapses.