OSAKA -- Kazuaki Tsuda, executive vice president of Suntory Ltd., is to be named joint chairman of Kansai Keizai Doyukai (the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives), the business organization announced Friday.

Tsuda, 65, will succeed Shojiro Nanya, president of West Japan Railway Co., while Noriyuki Inoue, the president of Daikin Industries, Ltd. and the other joint chairman, will retain his position.

The appointment will be officially approved at the organization's general meeting in May.

"It is important to support venture business here," Tsuda said.