The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to "Issue a Strict Warning as Early as Tomorrow" to JAL—Urging Measures to Prevent Recurrence Following the Honolulu Pilot's Drinking Incident

1. What Happened: Overview of the Incident

• Date and Time of Occurrence: August 28, 2025 (local time in Honolulu).

• Affected Flight: JAL Flight 793 (Honolulu→Nagoya [Chubu]).

• Facts (Reported): The captain (64) consumed alcohol at the hotel. It was discovered before departure, and the captain was deemed unfit for duty. JAL was forced to rearrange crew schedules, resulting in delays of up to 18 hours across 3 flights, affecting approximately 630 passengers. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism conducted an on-site investigation at JAL headquarters the following week. FNN Prime OnlineJapan TodayBusiness Insider

Additional Information: Widely reported by international media and aviation specialist outlets (Business Insider, Simple Flying, One Mile at a Time, etc.). Business InsiderSimple FlyingOne Mile at a Time

2. What is "Strict Warning": Position of Administrative Guidance in Japan

Strict Warning is an administrative guidance issued by the relevant Japanese authority (here, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) to demand correction and prevention of recurrence in a strong tone, considering the seriousness of the issue. Although it has limited legal binding force, it carries significant compliance weight, prompting the company to swiftly enhance and strengthen measures. It is reported that the ministry is finalizing plans to issue a strict warning on September 10. FNN Prime OnlineLivedoor News

3. Timeline: From Discovery to Administrative Response

1. 8/28 (HST): The captain of JAL Flight 793 consumed alcohol at the hotel. It was discovered before departure, and the captain was removed from duty. Due to alternative arrangements and crew replacements, multiple flights experienced significant delays. FNN Prime OnlineJapan Today

2. Around 9/3 (JST): The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism visited JAL headquarters for an investigation. JAL issued an apology. Japan TodayThe Japan Times

3. 9/9 (JST): Reports indicate that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has decided on a policy of **"issuing a strict warning as early as tomorrow (9/10)". It seems they have determined that further strengthening of recurrence prevention measures** is necessary. FNN Prime Online

4. Impact Assessment: Passengers, Operations, Brand

• Passenger Impact: Based on reports, approximately 630 passengers were subject to long waits and rebooking. The impact was significant on families, connecting passengers, and business travelers. Business InsiderView from the Wing

• Operational Impact: There were delays of up to 18 hours, affecting three flights due to a domino effect on aircraft and crew. The Hawaii route has geographical constraints on crew changes, making it difficult to secure replacement personnel locally. Business InsiderSimple Flying

• Brand and Trust: JAL had already received administrative guidance (business improvement recommendation) related to alcohol consumption in 2024 and was in the process of implementing recurrence prevention measures. The recurrence invites scrutiny of their safety culture and management system. People.com

5. JAL's Internal Measures: What Was Lacking

JAL reportedly implemented several measures, including prohibiting alcohol consumption during stays, strengthening breathalyzer tests, and operating a "drinking tendency" watchlist. However, the focus is on the fact that they failed to prevent the captain, who was on the watchlist, from drinking. Asahi Shimbun

Furthermore, despite advocating the "Five Pillars" of recurrence prevention (awareness reform, restructuring inspection systems, etc.), there may have been gaps in the on-site operations and management check functions. J-CAST News

6. Group-wide Issues: The Case of Spring Japan

In JAL's LCC, Spring Japan, there were also reported violations related to alcohol consumption, with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism strongly pointing out maliciousness. Rather than individual case recurrence, there is a growing argument for a structural review encompassing group-wide safety culture, personnel operations, and evaluation systems. Toyo Keizai Online

7. Comparison with Overseas Systems: What is Different?

• United States (FAA): In addition to the 8-hour "bottle to throttle" rule, there is a standard of BAC below 0.04%. Many U.S. airlines also have stricter internal regulations, such as 12-hour alcohol bans. Legal Information InstituteFederal Aviation AdministrationNBC Los Angeles

• EU (EASA): Operates with a standard of BAC 0.02% (BrAC 0.10mg/L), which is close to zero. There is also a well-established system for random breathalyzer tests during ramp inspections. ad.easa.europa.euEASA

• Japan: Since 2018, there has been progress in virtually zero tolerance for domestic flights and prohibiting alcohol consumption during stays, but the effectiveness of internal company rules continues to be questioned. ABCOne Mile at a Time

Implications: Overseas, numerical standards