Suntory Holdings Chairman Niinami Resigns Amid Probe of Alleged Purchase of Possibly Illegal Substance

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:02 JST, September 2, 2025

Suntory Holdings Ltd. on Tuesday announced that Chairman Takeshi Niinami had resigned on Monday following a police investigation over his alleged purchase of a possibly illegal supplement.

President Nobuhiro Torii and Executive Vice President Kenji Yamada held a press conference on Tuesday.

Torii said the beverage company was informed by Niinami on Aug. 22 that the police had searched his house on suspicion of buying a supplement that may be an illegal substance, although he had thought the substance was legal.

As Niinami stated his intention to resign on Sunday, the company accepted his resignation on Monday.

Torii said, “We found him not worthy to be chairman of our company, who is expected to comply with all laws.”

Niinami is a graduate of Harvard Business School. He served as president of Lawson, Inc. and Suntory Holdings Ltd. and became chairman of Suntory Holdings in March. He was appointed chairperson of Keizai Doyukai in 2023.