Photo/Illutration Takeshi Niinami, president of Suntory Holdings Ltd. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Despite reservations expressed by some members, Takeshi Niinami, president of Suntory Holdings Ltd., is expected to become the next chairman of Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives), sources said.

The term of the current chairman, Kengo Sakurada, chief of Sompo Holdings Inc., will expire in spring next year.

The group, one of the three major business organizations in Japan, will likely make an announcement soon after its executive board, which consists of 300 or so senior members, reaches an agreement.

Sakurada, Yoshimitsu Kobayashi, a former chairman of the group and current chairman of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., and others held a selection committee meeting in November.

The choice of Niinami, currently vice chairman of Keizai Doyukai, was supported by a majority at that meeting, the sources said.

However, some group members took issue with the low attendance rate of Niinami, 63, at Keizai Doyukai meetings and other events.

Others expressed concerns that Niinami would not have enough time for Keizai Doyukai activities because he is an active president of Suntory and a member of the central government’s Council on Fiscal and Economic Policy.

Discussions on the chairman selection were expected to wrap up by the end of November, but the group needed until Dec. 12 to reach an agreement.

Niinami apparently showed his enthusiasm to fulfill the chairman’s duties.

A senior member who worries about the declining importance of Keizai Doyukai said, “A manager like Niinami, who has the ability to put out a message, is difficult to find.”

If formally elected at the group’s general meeting next spring, Niinami is expected to serve the usual two two-year terms.

Niinami used to work at Mitsubishi Corp.

After serving as president and chairman of Lawson Inc., Niinami took the president’s post at Suntory in 2014.

He has been active at the World Economic Forum.

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