18/06/2026
Japan Airlines CEO Cut His Own Pay To Protect His Employees
When Japan Airlines hit hard financial times in the late 2000s, CEO Haruka Nishimatsu made an unusual choice. Instead of cutting jobs, he cut his own salary by 60%, bringing his pay down to around $90,000, less than some of the airline's pilots.
Nishimatsu also gave up executive perks. He commuted to work by bus, ate lunch in the staff cafeteria with employees, and wore affordable suits instead of designer ones. He believed management should stay close to the people doing the everyday work, not separated from them.
His approach became a widely shared example of leadership built on shared sacrifice during difficult times.
Sources: NextShark, One Mile at a Time
📸 Photo: AI Generated / Representative Purpose Only