A former flight attendant in Japan Airlines has risen through the ranks to become its first female President, a rare occurrence in a country where, like in many others in the Far East, paternalistic attitude towards women still runs deep.
The appointment of Mitsuko Tottori as the next President is the first time the flag carrier has given the job to a woman, something also not common in major Japanese firms and in global airlines.
Tottori joined Japan Airlines as a flight attendant in 1985, before working her way up, the BBC reports.
She said she hoped her promotion would give other women the courage to pursue the next step in their careers.
Despite some improvements, very few major airlines have women in senior leadership positions.
Tottori will replace Yuji Akasaka as President on April 1. Akasaka will replace Yoshiharu Ueki as Chairman, the airline’s most senior position.
The appointments come weeks after a Japan Airlines plane crashed with a smaller coastguard aircraft at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
A “miraculous” evacuation ensured all 379 passengers and crew on board the jet survived, but five of the six crew on the coastguard plane died.
Tottori –who worked in frontline roles before becoming a director for cabin crew in 2015 – said she would prioritise safety.
“I have spent most of my career at the frontline of safety and customer services – that is the cabinet attendants’ division,” she told a press conference.
“Operational safety is the foundation of airlines. I will continue to demonstrate my firm commitment to this principle.”
She also said there were women struggling to progress in their career, and hoped her appointment “can encourage them, or give them the courage to take the next step
