Foundation: 1951
Headquarters: Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo
President and CEO: Yuji Akasaka
Executive Summary: Japan Airlines, better known as as JAL, is Japan’s flagship international airline. It is headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The company was founded on August 1, 1951 by Aiichiro Fujiyama at the request of the government, which wanted a reliable air transportation firm to help drive Japan’s economic growth following the Pacific War. Two years later, JAL officially became the national airline of Japan. It operated with that status for more than three decades until it was fully privatized in 1987. JAL’s primary hubs are Tokyo’s Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport, as well as Osaka’s Kansai International Airport and Itami Airport. It has a global reach, though about two-thirds of its business has been within the domestic market. JAL’s subsidiaries have included J-Air, Japan Air Commuter, Japan Transocean Air, Ryukyu Air Commuter, and JAL Cargo services. These subsidiaries were also involved in cargo transportation, aircraft maintenance, and ground support services. Its annual income is in the range of US$15 billion.
