The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a UN agency based in Montreal, has elected Japan's Toshiyuki Onuma as its new council president. Onuma, who is 56 years old, will serve a three-year term starting from January 1, 2026. This election marks him as the first Japanese individual to hold this prestigious position in the organization.
Onuma's appointment highlights his extensive career in Japan's civil aviation sector, which began in 1992. He has held prominent roles such as director of the International Air Transport Division and senior deputy director-general of the Civil Aviation Bureau. Additionally, he was appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to ICAO in December last year.
In his new role, Onuma aims to focus on enhancing aviation safety standards and promoting efforts toward carbon neutrality across the industry. The ICAO, with its 193 member states, oversees the safe and efficient development of international civil aviation and meets periodically at its general assembly and council meetings to shape global aviation policies.
