This guy is one of the most remarkable people there is. I've had the pleasure of meeting CEOs, Vice Presidents, professional atheletes and Nobel laureates. Words cannot properly encapsulate Mr. Nishimatsu's humility and dignity – he is the model for what we need more of. He works every day to reverse one of the single most telling examples of our current world economy: the disparity between the senior corporate leadership and the "front-line" corporate associate.

What a great example of the difference in corporate culture!
That's a company that I could have an allegence and loyalty to.
No wonder that they enjoy such long average seniority of the employees.
Mr. Nishimatsu is a shining example in a very soiled senior executive pool.

People don't understand when you have demonstrations like they are having in London right now they are organized by professonials whose job it is is to make the situation as bad as it can be for everyone involved. If you could get these guys you would not have as much trouble believe me. Violence gets you nothing.

The World in General and Europe in particular have a lot to learn with Japan.

The so called good practices have been implemented for a long time in Japan and it seems to me that social ethics role in the presented company.

Congratulations JAL!

Manuel
Coventry, UK

Yes a great example but also a bit of expectation. Here in Japan not cutting your salary, losing the perks would be seen as grounds for removal. Remember even the smallest hiccup in business will be reflected back on the top management and resignations will be required to atone for those mistakes.... forget about a bonus.

Well, 1 dont expect Malaysia to ever follow such leader as Mr. Nishimatsu. He would be looked down upon as cheap charlie. Here is Malaysia, CEO are given special titile such as Datuk Seri, Tan Sri or Datuk. And CEO in Malaysia also enjoy special perks as royalty families. Even if listed companies should filled for bankcruptcy, government will bailout such firms just like in US. I think Mr. Nishimatsu is a very rare individual, perhaps the only one exist in the world! Other CEOs will laughed at him and may go down in lecture halls as lesson to other aspirants not to follow such stupidity. Lets be realistic, CEO should act like one.

I admire the attidude of the CEO . As we live in a society of lables and barriers its time to remove them all .
Work for the common good for all .
take the slogan from Asda part of the walmart family " every one matters."

Dificult times bring tough solutions so together we can build for the future generations.

That Japanese culture you mention is true Rendal, but JAL's performance is hardly a reflection of top management mistakes, so I wouldn't expect his job was ever on the line. All airlines are suffering from a dramatic reduction in passanger traffic and JAL is no different. That being said, taking a paycut and being paid less than most pilots, thats admirable.. what a remarkable man... I would be honored to work for him for life.

"...a bit of a expectation."

But in the eyes of the west, now jaded by the selfish behavior of celebrities, politicians and many corporate leaders, he's extraordinary.

Personal responsibility is becoming a quaint memory from the past in the US. Everyone points the finger and says "It's not my fault!"

Japan has never really been capitalist, though every nation has its share of crooks. Difference is, in US self serving is seen as a good thing, in Japan it is demonized. Attitudes are beginning to change in US where the majoirty is plunged ever closer to poverty.

Comin from a nation so notorious for her corrution record JAL CEO is a like robin hood. Greed and speculation make the world go round. In Nigeria, he'll never make it to the top.

We do not care what you do or how you slack off in your work time. You should bring in more profit to your company. Having lunch together with your empoyees dose not help much. Get a respect from people outside your company ,not from within your own. I'm really ashamed of you how you distract your hard-working staff from your decade-long haphazard business practice. Now you realize that you must live in the competitive world. How to satisfy customer needs is a key practice for airline companies to survive at least . Do you know what you need to do? Open your eyes!

Thank you Kyung,
Those who prevail in difficult times are the ones who steadfastly refuse to allow negativity to form a barrier to their success. They instead deliberately and diligently take constructive action, thereby refreshing and reinvigorating their minds and their spirits, enabling them to take more action, which refreshes and reinvigorates. JAL's CEO is a prime example of this.

I know another example of such a man. His example shows that a very frugal style can allow you to get away with quite a lot.

I am talking about Ingvar Kamprad, CEO of IKEA, the famous furniture dealer. He is old now and more or less out of the game but he is still the ghost hovering above the company. He was famous for a style so spartan that he awed even egalitarian Swedes – his had not even an office of his own, the CEO of a billion dollar corporation was sitting at a simple table on a simple hard seated chair behind an office drawer in a corridor! Eating at the common canteen like all his staff went without saying.

There goes a famous story of some young Americans who took a job in the US subsidiary of IKEA, fresh from business school with their MBAs in their trunks. Their astonishment of having to haul furniture like any truckdriver is simpler to imagine than describe.

With his style mr. Kamprad has greased the popular acceptance of his sometimes dubious business practices. Like owning everything worth owning in his home smalltown and lording it like a local baron, like placing high hurdles in front of trade unions, like utilizing timber logged by unscrupulous logging companies in the 3rd world, like engaging in shady financial deals...