Japan Airlines has made history by choosing its first-ever female president, Mitsuko Tottori. Tottori started working for the airline as a flight attendant in 1985 and has worked her way up over the years. She hopes that her promotion will encourage other women to aim for leadership positions in their careers. This is a big deal because there aren’t many women in top positions at major airlines around the world. Tottori will officially become president on April 1st, taking over from Yuji Akasaka, who will become chairman. These changes come after a recent plane crash involving a Japan Airlines plane and a smaller coastguard plane at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

Tottori has experience in different roles, including working directly with customers and being a director for cabin crew. She wants to make safety her number one priority. She believes that making sure everything runs smoothly and safely is the most important thing for airlines. Tottori also understands that women face challenges when it comes to moving up in their careers. She hopes that her appointment will inspire and empower other women to go for leadership roles. According to a survey, there were 12 women leading the top 100 airlines at the end of 2022, compared to six the year before.

This appointment is not only important for the airline industry, but also for Japan, where there aren’t many women in leadership positions. The Japanese government wants to have one-third of top positions at major businesses held by women by 2030. They didn’t reach this goal by 2020, so they’re pushing for at least one woman to be an executive at companies by 2025. Right now, only 13.2% of management positions in Japan are held by women, which is the lowest among OECD countries. The OECD says this shows that there’s a big problem with how people are being used in the country.

In conclusion, Japan Airlines appointing Mitsuko Tottori as its first female president is a really important moment for both the airline and the industry. Tottori’s promotion is a great example for women who want to be leaders. It also shows that we need more women in top positions, not just in airlines but in Japan’s businesses as a whole. The government’s efforts to get more women into leadership roles are really important for making society more fair and inclusive.

Original news source: Japan Airlines appoints ex-flight attendant as first female president (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Provide each group with a copy of the article or read it aloud.
3. Ask the students to summarize the main points of the article in their own words.
4. Give them a time limit (e.g. 5 minutes) to discuss and come up with a concise summary.
5. Have each group share their summary with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Write the following question on the board: “Do you think it is important to have more women in leadership positions in the airline industry?”
2. Give the class a few minutes to think about their opinions.
3. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
4. In their pairs/groups, students should discuss their opinions and reasons behind their stance.
5. After the discussion, conduct a poll by asking each pair/group to share their opinion (e.g. “Raise your hand if you think it is important” or “Raise your hand if you think it is not important”).
6. Facilitate a class discussion by asking students to explain their reasoning.

– Headline Creation
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Instruct each pair/group to create a catchy headline for the article.
3. Encourage them to be creative and use vocabulary from the article.
4. Give them a time limit (e.g. 5 minutes) to come up with their headline.
5. Have each pair/group share their headline with the class.
6. Discuss the different headlines and why they think their headline captures the essence of the article.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board.
2. Divide the class into teams.
3. Assign a team member to be the “drawer” for the first round.
4. Give the “drawer” a vocabulary word from the list.
5. The “drawer” should draw a picture on the board to represent the word, while their team tries to guess the word.
6. The team that guesses correctly earns a point.
7. Repeat the process with a new “drawer” from each team and a new vocabulary word.
8. The team with the most points at the end wins.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions:
1. Pose the following question to the class: “How do you think having more women in leadership positions can benefit the airline industry?”
2. Give the students a few minutes to think about their response.
3. Instruct them to find a partner and share their thoughts.
4. After the discussion, ask a few pairs to share their ideas with the class.
5. Facilitate a class discussion by asking follow-up questions and encouraging students to build on each other’s ideas.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is Mitsuko Tottori and why is her appointment as president of Japan Airlines significant?
2. What is Tottori’s background in the airline industry and how has she worked her way up?
3. What is Tottori’s main priority as president of Japan Airlines?
4. Why does Tottori believe her appointment is important for women in leadership roles?
5. How many women were leading the top 100 airlines at the end of 2022, according to a survey?
6. Why is Tottori’s appointment important for Japan as a whole?
7. What is the Japanese government’s goal regarding women in top positions at major businesses?
8. What is the current percentage of management positions held by women in Japan, and why is this a problem according to the OECD?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Japan Airlines has made (1)______ by choosing its first-ever female (2)______, (3)______ Tottori. Tottori started working for the airline as a flight (4)______ in 1985 and has worked her way up over the years. She hopes that her promotion will encourage other women to aim for leadership positions in their careers. This is a big deal because there aren’t many women in top positions at major airlines around the world. Tottori will officially become president on April 1st, taking over from Yuji Akasaka, who will become chairman. These changes come after a recent plane crash involving a Japan Airlines (5)______ and a smaller (6)______ plane at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

Tottori has experience in different roles, including working directly with customers and being a director for cabin crew. She wants to make safety her number one priority. She believes that making sure everything runs smoothly and safely is the most important thing for airlines. Tottori also understands that women face challenges when it (7)______ to (8)______ up in their careers. She hopes that her appointment will inspire and empower other women to go for leadership roles. According to a survey, there were 12 women leading the top 100 (9)______s at the end of 2022, (10)______ to six the year before.

This appointment is not only important for the airline industry, but also for Japan, where there aren’t many women in leadership positions. The Japanese government wants to have one-third of top positions at major businesses held by women by 2030. They didn’t (11)______ this goal by 2020, so they’re pushing for at least one (12)______ to be an executive at companies by 2025. Right now, only 13.2% of management positions in Japan are held by women, which is the lowest among OECD countries. The OECD says this shows that there’s a big problem with how people are being used in the country.

In conclusion, Japan Airlines appointing Mitsuko (13)______ as its first female president is a really (14)______ moment for both the airline and the industry. Tottori’s promotion is a great (15)______ for women who want to be leaders. It also shows that we need more women in top positions, not just in airlines but in Japan’s businesses as a (16)______. The government’s efforts to get more women into leadership roles are really important for making society more fair and inclusive.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is the significance of Mitsuko Tottori becoming the first female president of Japan Airlines?
2. How do you think Mitsuko Tottori’s promotion will inspire other women in their careers?
3. Do you think it is important to have more women in leadership positions in the airline industry? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you were appointed as the first female president of a major company? Why?
5. Do you think the Japanese government’s goal of having one-third of top positions held by women is achievable? Why or why not?
6. Why do you think there are not many women in leadership positions in Japan’s businesses?
7. What challenges do you think women face when trying to move up in their careers?
8. How do you think having more women in leadership roles can make society more fair and inclusive?
9. What do you think is the most important aspect of running an airline, according to Mitsuko Tottori?
10. How do you think Mitsuko Tottori’s experience in different roles will benefit her as the president of Japan Airlines?
11. Do you think it is important for companies to prioritize safety? Why or why not?
12. How do you think Mitsuko Tottori’s appointment will impact the perception of women in leadership positions in Japan?
13. What actions do you think can be taken to increase the number of women in management positions in Japan?
14. Why do you think there are more men than women in top positions at major airlines around the world?
15. How do you think having more women in leadership positions can positively influence the airline industry?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. history
2. encourage
3. leadership
4. priority
5. smoothly
6. challenges
7. empower
8. appointment
9. executive
10. management
11. industry
12. inclusive
13. efforts
14. fair
15. promotion

Meanings:
(A) Equal and unbiased treatment
(B) The act of moving someone to a higher or more important position or rank within an organization
(C) The position or ability to guide or direct others
(D) To give someone the confidence or hope to do something
(E) In a way that is free from problems or difficulties
(F) The events of the past, especially significant or remarkable ones
(G) Something that is considered more important than other things
(H) The process of dealing with or controlling things or people
(I) To give someone the authority or power to do something
(J) A person who has a high-level position in a company, making important decisions
(K) Attempts to do or achieve something, usually requiring hard work
(L) Difficult tasks or obstacles that require effort to overcome
(M) A particular form of business or branch of economic activity
(N) The act of assigning someone to a position or role
(O) Including everyone and not leaving anyone out
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who has been appointed as Japan Airlines’ first-ever female president?
(a) Yuji Akasaka
(b) Mitsuko Tottori
(c) Mitsuko Haneda
(d) Yuji Tottori

2. How long has Mitsuko Tottori been working for Japan Airlines?
(a) Since 1990
(b) Since 2000
(c) Since 2010
(d) Since 1985

3. What is Mitsuko Tottori’s main goal as president of Japan Airlines?
(a) Ensuring safety
(b) Increasing profits
(c) Expanding routes
(d) Improving customer service

4. How many women were leading the top 100 airlines at the end of 2022?
(a) 12
(b) 6
(c) 100
(d) 2022

5. What is the current percentage of management positions held by women in Japan?
(a) 25%
(b) 13.2%
(c) 50%
(d) 75%

6. What is the Japanese government’s goal for the representation of women in top positions by 2030?
(a) Half
(b) Two-thirds
(c) All
(d) One-third

7. Why is Mitsuko Tottori’s appointment significant for Japan?
(a) She has experience in different roles in the airline industry
(b) She aims to prioritize safety in her role as president
(c) There aren’t many women in leadership positions in the country
(d) She wants to inspire other women to pursue leadership roles

8. What is the overall importance of having more women in leadership positions?
(a) It increases profits for businesses
(b) It improves customer satisfaction
(c) It promotes fairness and inclusivity in society
(d) It expands international routes for airlines

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Tottori has never been with the airline since 1985, starting as a flight attendant and working her way up.
2. Tottori disregards safety and believes it is not important for airlines.
3. Tottori has experience in various roles, including working directly with customers and being a director for cabin crew.
4. There are many women in top positions at major airlines worldwide.
5. Japan Airlines has chosen its first-ever male president, Mitsuko Tottori.
6. Tottori will officially become president on April 1st, taking over from Yuji Akasaka, who will become chairman.
7. Tottori hopes her promotion will inspire other women to aim for leadership positions in their careers.
8. The Japanese government aims to have one-third of top positions at major businesses held by women by 2030.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Who is Mitsuko Tottori and what is her new role at Japan Airlines?
2. Why is Mitsuko Tottori’s appointment as the first female president of Japan Airlines significant?
3. What does Mitsuko Tottori believe is the most important priority for airlines?
4. What challenges do women face when it comes to moving up in their careers, according to Mitsuko Tottori?
5. Why is Mitsuko Tottori’s appointment important not just for Japan Airlines, but also for Japan as a whole?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who is Mitsuko Tottori and why is her appointment as president of Japan Airlines significant?
Mitsuko Tottori is the first-ever female president of Japan Airlines. Her appointment is significant because it breaks barriers and shows that women can hold top leadership positions in the airline industry.

2. What is Tottori’s background in the airline industry and how has she worked her way up?
Tottori started working for Japan Airlines as a flight attendant in 1985. Over the years, she has held various roles, including working directly with customers and being a director for cabin crew. Through hard work and dedication, she has worked her way up to become the president of the airline.

3. What is Tottori’s main priority as president of Japan Airlines?
Tottori’s main priority as president of Japan Airlines is to ensure safety. She believes that making sure everything runs smoothly and safely is the most important thing for airlines.

4. Why does Tottori believe her appointment is important for women in leadership roles?
Tottori believes that her appointment as the first female president of Japan Airlines will inspire and empower other women to aim for leadership positions in their careers. She wants to show that women can succeed in top positions and break through gender barriers.

5. How many women were leading the top 100 airlines at the end of 2022, according to a survey?
According to a survey, there were 12 women leading the top 100 airlines at the end of 2022.

6. Why is Tottori’s appointment important for Japan as a whole?
Tottori’s appointment is important for Japan as a whole because it highlights the need for more women in leadership positions. Currently, there are not many women in top positions in Japan’s businesses, and Tottori’s appointment serves as a step towards achieving gender equality in the country.

7. What is the Japanese government’s goal regarding women in top positions at major businesses?
The Japanese government’s goal is to have one-third of top positions at major businesses held by women by 2030. They also aim to have at least one woman as an executive at companies by 2025.

8. What is the current percentage of management positions held by women in Japan, and why is this a problem according to the OECD?
Currently, only 13.2% of management positions in Japan are held by women, which is the lowest among OECD countries. This is a problem according to the OECD because it shows that there is a lack of gender diversity and equal opportunities for women in leadership roles in Japan.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) history
(2) president
(3) Mitsuko
(4) attendant
(5) plane
(6) coastguard
(7) comes
(8) moving
(9) airline
(10) compared
(11) reach
(12) woman
(13) Tottori
(14) important
(15) example
(16) whole
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. history
Answer: (F) The events of the past, especially significant or remarkable ones

2. encourage
Answer: (D) To give someone the confidence or hope to do something

3. leadership
Answer: (C) The position or ability to guide or direct others

4. priority
Answer: (G) Something that is considered more important than other things

5. smoothly
Answer: (E) In a way that is free from problems or difficulties

6. challenges
Answer: (L) Difficult tasks or obstacles that require effort to overcome

7. empower
Answer: (I) To give someone the authority or power to do something

8. appointment
Answer: (N) The act of assigning someone to a position or role

9. executive
Answer: (J) A person who has a high-level position in a company, making important decisions

10. management
Answer: (H) The process of dealing with or controlling things or people

11. industry
Answer: (M) A particular form of business or branch of economic activity

12. inclusive
Answer: (O) Including everyone and not leaving anyone out

13. efforts
Answer: (K) Attempts to do or achieve something, usually requiring hard work

14. fair
Answer: (A) Equal and unbiased treatment

15. promotion
Answer: (B) The act of moving someone to a higher or more important position or rank within an organization
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who has been appointed as Japan Airlines’ first-ever female president?
Answer: (b) Mitsuko Tottori

2. How long has Mitsuko Tottori been working for Japan Airlines?
Answer: (d) Since 1985

3. What is Mitsuko Tottori’s main goal as president of Japan Airlines?
Answer: (a) Ensuring safety

4. How many women were leading the top 100 airlines at the end of 2022?
Answer: (a) 12

5. What is the current percentage of management positions held by women in Japan?
Answer: (b) 13.2%

6. What is the Japanese government’s goal for the representation of women in top positions by 2030?
Answer: (d) One-third

7. Why is Mitsuko Tottori’s appointment significant for Japan?
Answer: (c) There aren’t many women in leadership positions in the country

8. What is the overall importance of having more women in leadership positions?
Answer: (c) It promotes fairness and inclusivity in society
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Tottori has never been with the airline since 1985, starting as a flight attendant and working her way up. (Answer: False)
2. Tottori disregards safety and believes it is not important for airlines. (Answer: False)
3. Tottori has experience in various roles, including working directly with customers and being a director for cabin crew. (Answer: True)
4. There are many women in top positions at major airlines worldwide. (Answer: False)
5. Japan Airlines has chosen its first-ever male president, Mitsuko Tottori. (Answer: False)
6. Tottori will officially become president on April 1st, taking over from Yuji Akasaka, who will become chairman. (Answer: True)
7. Tottori hopes her promotion will inspire other women to aim for leadership positions in their careers. (Answer: True)
8. The Japanese government aims to have one-third of top positions at major businesses held by women by 2030. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧