South Korea preparing to order airlines to check fuel switches on Boeing jets
SEOUL--South Korea's transport ministry is preparing to order all airlines in the country that operate Boeing jets to examine fuel switches in accordance with a 2018 advisory from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the ministry's foreign media spokesperson said on Monday.
The spokesperson did not give a timeline for the checks. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fuel switch locks have come under scrutiny after a preliminary report into the crash of an Air India's Boeing 787-8 jet that killed 260 people last month mentioned a 2018 advisory from the FAA.
The FAA advisory recommended, but did not mandate, operators of several Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking feature of the fuel cutoff switches to ensure they could not be moved accidentally.
Reuters reported on Sunday, citing a document and sources, that the planemaker and the FAA have privately issued notifications to airlines and regulators that the fuel switch locks on Boeing planes are safe and checks are not required.
The Air India preliminary report said the airline had not carried out the FAA's suggested inspections as the FAA's 2018 advisory was not a mandate. But it also said maintenance records showed that the throttle control module, which includes the fuel switches, was replaced in 2019 and 2023 on the plane involved in the crash.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
a day ago
- Japan Today
Panasonic announces new chief as its profits barely hold up
By YURI KAGEYAMA Japanese electronics and technology company Panasonic has chosen a new chief executive at a group company after eking out a 1.2% rise in its first-quarter profit. Kenneth William Sain, a former Boeing executive, will replace Yasuyuki Higuchi as Panasonic Connect's president and chief executive in April 2026, the company said Wednesday. Panasonic Connect offers solutions and products for various supply chains, public services, infrastructure and entertainment sectors. Sain joined Panasonic in 2019 as CEO of Panasonic Avionics. 'Ken is an exceptional leader with extensive global experience and a deep understanding of business and technology,' Higuchi said in a statement. Panasonic Holdings Corp.'s April-June profit totaled 71.46 billion yen ($483 million), up from 70.6 billion yen. Its quarterly sales declined 10.6% from last year to 1.9 trillion yen ($12.8 billion). The Osaka-based maker of home appliances, solar panels and batteries for Tesla vehicles kept its full year profit forecast unchanged at 310 billion yen ($2.1 billion), down 15% from the previous year. Panasonic said the impact from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs was not yet fully factored in. The company said it will try to minimize the effect on its operating profit with cost cuts and other measures. Consumer electronics sales were strong in Japan, Panasonic said, while they were also healthy in China, supported by subsidies. On the positive side, it said demand for AI servers and air-conditioners was expected to grow. But concerns remain about slowing demand for electric vehicles because of U.S. tariffs and the ending of tax credits. Panasonic also said it's planning to get its new lithium-ion battery factory in Kansas fully operational later this year, after a delayed start. Panasonic said in May that it was slashing its global workforce by 10,000 people , half in Japan and half overseas, to become 'lean.' The job cuts amount to about 4% of its workforce. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Lack of Japan-U.S. Trade Deal Document Causes Worry; 2 Govts Put Differing Spins on Details of Agreement
Concerns are mounting after it became apparent that there is no joint document outlining the tariff agreement between Japan and the United States that was reached in negotiations with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The Japanese government has stated that it does not plan to create such a document in the future. However, the absence of such a document has already revealed discrepancies in explanations and perceptions between Japan and the United States, potentially fueling future disputes. At a press conference on Tuesday, economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa, who led the Japanese delegation in the Japan-U.S. trade negotiations, emphasized, 'We want to see tariff reductions implemented quickly, rather than focusing on creating an agreement document.' His comment stems from concerns that a lengthy process to create a formal agreement document could delay the implementation of the Japan-U.S. accord. Fearing the agreement's terms could be overturned — particularly the auto tariff reductions Trump had already approved — a Japanese government official stated: 'If we were to create a document, we would need President Trump's approval. Japan might also face new demands, and that would open a whole new can of worms.' However, the United States has agreed to a trade deal with the United Kingdom and is expected to issue a joint statement over trade agreements with the European Union. In contrast, with no formal agreement document, Japan and the United States each released their own summaries, which revealed discrepancies in their explanations and understandings of the agreement. Trump asserted that Japan would invest $550 billion (about ¥81 trillion) in the United States, and the United States would retain 90% of the profits from this investment. Meanwhile, Japan clarified that this sum represents merely a 'framework' encompassing investments, loans and loan guarantees by government-affiliated financial institutions. Akazawa further specified that direct equity investment would account for only 'about 1%-2% of the $550 billion,' suggesting that the investment risk for Japan is minimal. Regarding auto tariffs, a key Japanese priority in the tariff negotiations, Japan emphasizes the reduction from 25% to 15%. However, this reduction is not explicitly stated in the public documents released by the United States. The United States also explicitly stated that Japan would purchase 100 Boeing aircraft, as well as make additional annual purchases of U.S. defense equipment, totaling billions of dollars. However, a Japanese government official countered, 'Many of these purchases are already planned, so there are almost no new ones.' 'We plan to introduce them, taking into account the airlines' existing purchase plans,' said Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Hiromasa Nakano at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. In reality, both Japan and the United States are offering explanations that favor their own countries, which has raised concerns among observers about the absence of a formal document. 'It is unthinkable not to create a document during negotiations,' asserted Meisei University Prof. Masahiko Hosokawa. The former Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry official, who has experience with U.S. negotiations, added: 'If Japan leaves the U.S. side's self-serving interpretations, such as those concerning investment in the United States, unchallenged, it will be taken as tacit acceptance, which could lead to future friction and risks.' Takahide Kiuchi, an executive economist at Nomura Research Institute Ltd., emphasized the importance of a formal document for transparency, citing the risk of compromising national interests. 'Even if clarifying the detailed framework reveals discrepancies between the two countries that could lead to the collapse of the agreement, a formal document should still be created,' he said.
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Japan Times
Who buys the F-150s, and more Japan deal mysteries
The long-awaited trade deal between the U.S. and Japan has investors celebrating after months of uncertainty. But as the song goes, nagging questions always remain. Who is going to buy the "cars, SUVs and trucks' that U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to sell? Who is going to purchase the 100 Boeing jets? And what possible structure could the $550 billion fund, allegedly financed by Tokyo with 90% of profits going to U.S., actually take? Answers are sorely needed, not just because of an already growing comprehension gap between the countries over what was actually agreed, but to inform South Korea, the European Union and other close U.S. allies who are trying to wrap up similar deals before Aug. 1. Let's start with autos, long the main source of Trump's dissatisfaction with Tokyo, as well as the largest single cause of the trade deficit. The White House fact sheet (if indeed it can so be called) declared that "long-standing restrictions on U.S. cars and trucks will be lifted, granting U.S. automakers access to the Japanese consumer market.' Of course, U.S. carmakers have enjoyed unlimited access to the Japanese market for decades. As I noted in April, the problem is that U.S. cars just aren't good enough for the local consumer — and Detroit largely isn't interested in trying to muscle its way into a hyper-competitive market dominated by domestic players. Tokyo can try making it a little easier to import U.S. vehicles, such as simplifying inspection procedures. But it can't rebuild cities to fit the bloated models U.S. automakers favor. Around 84% of streets in Japan are municipal roads with an average width of just 3.7 meters (about 12 feet). Even if Tokyo gave everyone a Ford F-150 pickup, its 2.4-meter width would prevent two from passing on narrow streets. Hence cute minivans and kei-cars dominate while, as my colleague Liam Denning said this week, "U.S. automakers do not, in general, make an adorable little anything.' In any case, Japan's auto market has been shrinking for years, with new cars sold down about 20% from a 1990s peak. Automakers constantly fret that young people are losing interest in learning to drive, while the growing numbers of elderly citizens are encouraged to return their licenses. But more significant is what form the $550 billion investment fund will take. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the "innovative financing mechanism' was the key to Tokyo getting a deal at all. But neither side seems to agree on what it looks like. The idea first surfaced in May when the Financial Times reported that SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son had suggested a joint sovereign wealth fund. The White House calls it an "investment vehicle' that will "rebuild and expand core American industries.' Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, however, refers to a combination of equity, loans and guarantees that will be led by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and guarantees by Nippon Export and Investment Insurance. That sounds more like overseas development aid than a wealth fund — though few could argue American infrastructure might actually benefit from that. Trump now promises Japan will "give us 90% of $550 billion!' Tokyo is saying that applies to projects where 90% of investment is from the U.S. — in other words, profits are proportional. Does the figure include funding already pledged, such as SoftBank's promised $100 billion? Who knows?! Indeed, a leaked photo from the talks shows what looks like a proposal from Japan for a $400 billion fund, crossed out with $500 billion handwritten on top. That proposal also suggested a 50% profit share. Is this just repackaged existing spending into a simple PowerPoint slide? After all, Japan already invested $783 billion in the U.S. in 2023 and Ishiba pledged in January to boost that to $1 trillion in the future. The problem is that at some stage, this needs to be worked into actual policies. And this is where Ishiba's rush to agreement might come back to bite, especially if he's no longer in the job when the talks get down to details — something that, despite his denials, still seems all but certain after the drubbing his Liberal Democratic Party took in recent Upper House elections. There are plenty of parts of the deal that do make sense. The 100 Boeings can find a home at the country's airlines, though Japan has admitted the number includes at least some already-planned purchases. As the world's largest buyer of liquid natural gas, Tokyo's participation in the Alaska project always seemed logical. Even if the two sides don't seem to agree on what they decided on defense, Japan needs to spend more and the U.S. is the logical seller. Above all, it's encouraging to see the White House, after all these months of tense relations, again describe its ally as the "cornerstone of peace in the Indo-Pacific.' But with all these questions — and Washington continuing to hold the threat over Japan's head with a quarterly evaluation of its compliance with the deal — the market's sigh of relief might still be premature. Gearoid Reidy is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Japan and the Koreas.
