Keidanren to Skip Appointing Toyota Chief as Vice hair

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, has decided to appoint six new vice chairs, not including Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda, it was learned Friday.

Keidanren is seen this time skipping the appointment to the vice chair post of Toyoda, 66, who is attracting attention as a candidate to be the next head of Japan’s largest business lobby as he is slated to leave the post of president at Toyota in April to become chairman.

Keidanren’s new vice chairs include Veolia Japan K.K. chairperson Yumiko Noda, 63, who will be the first official of a foreign company to hold the post. Veolia Japan operates water-related businesses under France’s Veolia Group.