13/10/2025
And this is how we also repair relationships with loved ones, when valid.
In 1968, Japan Airlines pilot Kohei Asoh made a navigational error that brought his DC-8 jet down several miles short of San Francisco International Airport — landing directly in the shallow waters of the bay. Miraculously, every passenger survived, and the aircraft was later salvaged. But what history remembers most is not the mistake, but his response.
When questioned by investigators, Asoh didn’t reach for excuses, weather reports, or technical jargon. He simply said,
“As you Americans say, I f—ed up.”
The blunt honesty stunned officials. In an era when most leaders deflected blame, Asoh stood out for his disarming humility. He accepted full responsibility, proving that character is often defined not by success, but by how we face failure.
That moment became known as the “Asoh Defense” — a term that lives on in business, law, and leadership circles as a symbol of radical accountability. His courage showed that truth, even when painful, restores trust faster than denial ever could.
More than fifty years later, Asoh’s lesson still echoes: mistakes do not destroy integrity — hiding them does. Sometimes the simplest words, spoken with honesty, can save a reputation, inspire generations, and remind us that even in failure, there is dignity.
