Japan Airlines CEO: 'Air travel plays a vital role in our national infrastructure'

Japan Airlines CEO Mitsuko Tottori, speaking at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Asia, stated (02-Oct-2026) "Air travel plays a vital role in our national infrastructure". Ms Tottori noted that inbound travel to Japan has "made a remarkable recovery" since the COVID-19 pandemic, while outbound travel is yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels, largely due to the higher cost of travel from the depreciation of the yen, inflation and fuel surcharges. She said inbound tourism spending is now the second largest export category for Japan, after the automotive industry, and is "crucial" for the economy.