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The ex-flight attendant who became the first female boss of Japan Airlines | The ex-flight attendant who became the first female boss of Japan Airlines |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Mitsuko Tottori started her career as a flight attendant | Mitsuko Tottori started her career as a flight attendant |
When Mitsuko Tottori was named as the new boss of Japan Airlines (JAL) in January, it sent a shockwave across the country's corporate sector. | |
Not only was Ms Tottori the carrier's first female boss, she had also started her career as a member of cabin crew. | Not only was Ms Tottori the carrier's first female boss, she had also started her career as a member of cabin crew. |
The headlines ranged from "first woman" and "first former flight attendant" to "unusual" and "no way!" | The headlines ranged from "first woman" and "first former flight attendant" to "unusual" and "no way!" |
One website even described her as "an alien molecule" or "a mutant", a reference to her having worked at Japan Air System (JAS), a much smaller airline that JAL bought two decades ago. | One website even described her as "an alien molecule" or "a mutant", a reference to her having worked at Japan Air System (JAS), a much smaller airline that JAL bought two decades ago. |
"I didn't know about an alien mutant," Ms Tottori laughs as she spoke to me from Tokyo. | "I didn't know about an alien mutant," Ms Tottori laughs as she spoke to me from Tokyo. |
In short, she was not from the elite group of businessmen that the carrier had customarily appointed to its top job. | In short, she was not from the elite group of businessmen that the carrier had customarily appointed to its top job. |
Out of the last 10 men who held the post, seven were educated at the country's top university. Ms Tottori is a graduate of a far less prestigious women-only junior college. | Out of the last 10 men who held the post, seven were educated at the country's top university. Ms Tottori is a graduate of a far less prestigious women-only junior college. |
With Ms Tottori's appointment, JAL has joined the less than 1% of Japan's top companies led by women. | With Ms Tottori's appointment, JAL has joined the less than 1% of Japan's top companies led by women. |
"I don't think of myself as the first woman or the first former flight attendant. I want to act as an individual so I didn't expect to get this much attention." | "I don't think of myself as the first woman or the first former flight attendant. I want to act as an individual so I didn't expect to get this much attention." |
"But I realise the public or our employees don't necessarily see me like that," she adds. | "But I realise the public or our employees don't necessarily see me like that," she adds. |
Her appointment also came just two weeks after JAL's flight attendants were lauded for the successful evacuation of passengers from a plane that collided with a coast guard aircraft during landing. | Her appointment also came just two weeks after JAL's flight attendants were lauded for the successful evacuation of passengers from a plane that collided with a coast guard aircraft during landing. |
Japan Airlines Flight 516 burst into flames after the collision on the runway at Tokyo's Haneda airport. | Japan Airlines Flight 516 burst into flames after the collision on the runway at Tokyo's Haneda airport. |
Five of the six crew on the coastguard plane died and captain was injured. However, within minutes of the collision, all 379 people on board the Airbus A350-900 had safely escaped. | Five of the six crew on the coastguard plane died and captain was injured. However, within minutes of the collision, all 379 people on board the Airbus A350-900 had safely escaped. |
The rigorous training of the carrier's flight attendants was suddenly in the spotlight. | The rigorous training of the carrier's flight attendants was suddenly in the spotlight. |
As a former flight attendant herself, Ms Tottori learned the importance of aviation safety first hand. | As a former flight attendant herself, Ms Tottori learned the importance of aviation safety first hand. |
Four months after she became a flight attendant in 1985, Japan Airlines was involved in the deadliest single aircraft accident in aviation history, which killed 520 people on Mount Osutaka. | Four months after she became a flight attendant in 1985, Japan Airlines was involved in the deadliest single aircraft accident in aviation history, which killed 520 people on Mount Osutaka. |
"Every member of staff at JAL is given an opportunity to climb Mount Osutaka and speak to those who remember the accident," Ms Tottori says. | "Every member of staff at JAL is given an opportunity to climb Mount Osutaka and speak to those who remember the accident," Ms Tottori says. |
"We also exhibit aircraft debris at our safety promotion centre so instead of just reading about it in a book, we look with our own eyes and feel with our own skin to learn about the accident." | "We also exhibit aircraft debris at our safety promotion centre so instead of just reading about it in a book, we look with our own eyes and feel with our own skin to learn about the accident." |
While her appointment in the top job came as a surprise, JAL has changed rapidly since it went bankrupt in 2010, in what was the country's biggest ever corporate failure outside the financial sector. | While her appointment in the top job came as a surprise, JAL has changed rapidly since it went bankrupt in 2010, in what was the country's biggest ever corporate failure outside the financial sector. |
The airline managed to continue flying thanks to major state-backed financial support and the business underwent a sweeping restructuring with a new board and management. | The airline managed to continue flying thanks to major state-backed financial support and the business underwent a sweeping restructuring with a new board and management. |
Its saviour was then-77-year-old retiree and ordained Buddhist monk, Kazuo Inamori. Without his transformational influence it is unlikely that someone like Ms Tottori could have become JAL's leader. | Its saviour was then-77-year-old retiree and ordained Buddhist monk, Kazuo Inamori. Without his transformational influence it is unlikely that someone like Ms Tottori could have become JAL's leader. |
I spoke to him in an interview in 2012. He did not mince his words, saying JAL was an arrogant firm that did not care about its customers. | I spoke to him in an interview in 2012. He did not mince his words, saying JAL was an arrogant firm that did not care about its customers. |
Under Mr Inamori's leadership the company promoted people from frontline operations, like pilots and engineers, rather than from bureaucratic posts. | Under Mr Inamori's leadership the company promoted people from frontline operations, like pilots and engineers, rather than from bureaucratic posts. |
"I felt very uncomfortable because the company didn't feel like a private firm at all," Mr Inamori, who died in 2022, told me. "Many former government officials used to get golden parachutes into the firm." | "I felt very uncomfortable because the company didn't feel like a private firm at all," Mr Inamori, who died in 2022, told me. "Many former government officials used to get golden parachutes into the firm." |
JAL has come a long way since then, and the attention its first female president is receiving is not surprising. | JAL has come a long way since then, and the attention its first female president is receiving is not surprising. |
The Japanese government has been trying for almost a decade to increase the number of female bosses in the country. | The Japanese government has been trying for almost a decade to increase the number of female bosses in the country. |
It now wants a third of leadership positions at major businesses to go to women by 2030, after failing to achieve the goal by 2020. | It now wants a third of leadership positions at major businesses to go to women by 2030, after failing to achieve the goal by 2020. |
"It is not just about the corporate leaders' mindset, but it is also important for women to have the confidence to become a manager," says Ms Tottori. | "It is not just about the corporate leaders' mindset, but it is also important for women to have the confidence to become a manager," says Ms Tottori. |
"I hope my appointment would encourage other women to try things that they were afraid of trying before." | "I hope my appointment would encourage other women to try things that they were afraid of trying before." |
Related Topics | Related Topics |
International Business | International Business |
Japan Airlines | Japan Airlines |
Women | Women |