Inamori in Court, Backs off from Earlier Statement: the JAL Restructuring Case

The plaintiffs and their supporters, demanding Japan Airlines to reinstate 165 employees who were dismissed in December last year, gathered in front of the Tokyo District Court in the morning on 30 September. Some of them were in the uniform of JAL pilots, others holding banners expressing their demands. The day marked the highlight of the trial with the court appearance of the Chairman, Kazuo Inamori who admitted, in a press conference in February, that the dismissal was unnecessary in light of the restructuring plan of the company. He however disappointed the courtroom audience by mentioning his earlier remark as "imprudent and regrettable." Satoshi Tokairin, one of the audience, described Chairman's testimony as "outrageous." "Inamori pretended to be a token representative of the JAL management with no actual role in the unlawful dismissal. He said he was unaware of the fact that the restructuring target had already been achieved by that time and put all the responsibilities on the receiver, " he said.
In the inquiry of the day, the leader of the plaintiffs, Taeko Uchida, examined Inamori herself, but he replied to all her questions with phrases indicating lack of knowledge, involvement or memory. The audience was so appalled to the extent that they could not help laughing at times.
(By M)


「知らぬ存ぜぬ」を繰り返す稲盛会長～JAL整理解雇裁判、最大の山場に

9月30日、東京地裁前は朝から「JAL不当解雇撤回」の桃太郎旗が林立し、パイロット姿の原告団と支援者で賑わった（写真）。この裁判は、昨年末に165名が整理解雇された事件。この日はJAL稲盛会長の証人尋問で最大の山場を迎えた。稲盛会長は2月の会見で「経営上、解雇は必要なかった」と明言しており、証言に注目が集まった。しかし稲盛会長は「軽率な発言で反省している」と述べたのみ。傍聴した東海林智さんは「ひどい。“何の責任もないお飾り”と自分を演出していた。人員削減目標を達成していたことについても “知らなかった。管財人が決めたこと”を連発していた」。また内田妙子原告団長が尋問に立ち、組合との話し合いの約束を破り続けた稲盛氏に鋭く迫った。これに対し稲盛会長は「記憶にない、覚えていない、知りません」を繰り返すだけ。このJAL経営最高責任者の見苦しい姿に、傍聴席からは失笑が漏れた。（M）