TOKYO: The Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, unofficially decided Monday to appoint four new vice chairs, including Sony Group Corp. Chairman Kenichiro Yoshida, 64.

The four, also including Makoto Takashima, 65, chairman of the board of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., Nippon Yusen K.K. Chairman Hitoshi Nagasawa, 66, and Sumitomo Corp. President Masayuki Hyodo, 64, will assume the Keidanren posts after a general meeting of the largest Japanese business lobby on May 31.

“We selected them after a comprehensive evaluation of their personalities, management skills and achievements,” Keidanren Chairman Masakazu Tokura told a press conference on Monday. “Each of them is a great person.”

Meanwhile, Keidanren will not appoint Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Akio Toyoda to the post of vice chair this time. Toyoda is viewed as a candidate to be the next head of Keidanren.

“We hope that (Toyoda) will continue to play an active role in the (Keidanren) Committee on Mobility,” where Toyoda is currently vice chair, Tokura said.

Current Keidanren vice chairs Yasuhiro Sato, 71, special adviser of Mizuho Financial Group Inc., Masanobu Komoda, 69, chairman of the board of Mitsui Fudosan Co., and Mitsui & Co. board chair Tatsuo Yasunaga, 63, will step down at the end of their terms.

JIJI Press