Japan Airlines in the last few hours has appointed Mitsuko Tottori, current senior Managing Executive Officer, as the new president of the carrier. This is the first time that a woman holds this position at the top of Japanese air company. Starting from April 1st she will sit in the chair that belonged to Yuji Akasaka, who will maintain the role of representative director, while the current president Yoshiharu Ueki will retire.

"There are female employees out there who are struggling step by step in their careers and going through big life events. I hope that my appointment as president can encourage them or give them the courage to take the next step", Tottori said at the press conference. The airline has set itself the objective of having 30% female managers by March 2026 (today they are 22.8%).

Tottori, born in 1964, joined Japan Airlines in 1985 as a flight attendant. Over the years she rose through the ranks of the airline to become a senior manager. She currently holds the position of Representative Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer. A step that the media have defined as a "symbolic leap" in a country struggling to close the gender gap between men and women at work.