JAL Replaces Top Officers in Shake-Up Over Crash
New management took control of Japan Air Lines on Wednesday in a shake-up ordered by Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone in the aftermath of the August crash of a jumbo jet that killed 520 persons. The new officials pledged to upgrade safety.
About 700 shareholders of the troubled flag carrier appointed a new president, vice chairman and executive vice president during a special meeting that lasted more than two hours, the airline said.
The new managers must oversee JAL’s impending transition to a private company while keeping the partially state-owned airline competitive following the planned deregulation of Japanese civil aviation.
Nakasone ordered the reshuffle as a direct result of the Aug. 12 crash in central Japan of a Boeing 747 in which all but four of the 524 persons aboard were killed. It was the worst single aircraft accident ever.
The appointments came a day after the government abolished a law that gave JAL a 15-year-old monopoly on international passenger flights. The ruling Tuesday opened the way for two other Japanese airlines to compete overseas.
The shareholders appointed JAL adviser Susumu Yamaji, 60, as president to succeed Yasumoto Takagi, who followed Japanese custom and took responsibility for the crash by resigning.
Takagi again apologized for the disaster in front of the shareholders and held a minute of silent prayer for the victims.
“It is a heartbreaking experience to think of the souls of 520 people resting on the snow-covered mountain,” said Takagi.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
