2 Former JAL Captains Suspended from Flying Over Drinking Scandal; Airline Names New General Safety Manager

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:41 JST, February 5, 2025

The transport ministry has issued an administrative order suspending two former Japan Airlines captains from flight operations for drinking about three times more alcohol than the company’s acceptable level the day before a flight and lying to the airline about it.

The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry issued the penalties Tuesday under the Civil Aeronautics Law, suspending the captain from flight operations for 180 days and the copilot for 210 days.

The then-captain of the airplane, 59, and his then-copilot, 56, crewed JAL Flight 774 from Melbourne to Narita with 114 passengers and crew, which departed on the morning of Dec. 1, according to the ministry and others.

The two captains had been consuming alcohol until 4 p.m. on the day before the flight, even ordering three bottles of wine. Before the flight, alcohol was detected in their system, but failed to properly inform flight management and others of the drinking the previous night. They also conspired to lie during interviews after the flight about the amount of alcohol consumed.

Regarding the then-copilot, a problem involving drinking in 2018 was also taken into account when the ministry took administrative action against him.

Japan Airlines announced disciplinary action against eight executives, including a 30% pay cut for two months for Chairperson Yuji Akasaka and President Mitsuko Tottori.

The company has also removed Akasaka from his position as general safety manager — the person with the responsibility and authority to oversee safety management — and appointed Managing Executive Officer Yukio Nakagawa as his successor.