THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
July 1, 2021 at 17:23 JST
Hiroaki Nakanishi, former chairman of Keidanren, in 2019 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Hiroaki Nakanishi, former chairman of the powerful business lobby Keidanren (the Japan Business Federation) and former chairman of Hitachi Ltd., has died, sources said on July 1. He was 75.
Nakanishi stepped down from his position as chairman of Keidanren at a regular general meeting on June 1, one year before his term was to end, to focus on his lymphoma treatment.
Nakanishi was a key figure in rebuilding Hitachi’s management, and served as the company’s president from 2010 and chairman from 2014.
He changed the company drastically through restructuring, which he promoted under the policy of the “selection and concentration” of its businesses.
He shrank unprofitable departments, such as home electrical appliances, and grew social infrastructure projects into a main business pillar expected to generate stable profits.
At Keidanren, he became vice chairman in 2014 and the chairman in May 2018.
In 2019, he revealed to the public that he had lymphoma, but pushed on with his work as chairman.
He later said his symptoms had alleviated, but not long after, in April this year, he became concerned about a possible cancer relapse. He soon after announced he would resign from the post and step down as chairman of Hitachi.
He also served as the chairman of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, to be held in Osaka, and was a private-sector member of the government’s Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy.
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