The government will announce the appointment of Hidehiko Sato as director general of the National Police Agency on Aug. 2 to succeed Setsuo Tanaka, who is retiring, government sources said Wednesday.
The National Public Safety Commission is expected to approve Sato's promotion at a meeting Thursday and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will then approve his appointment, the sources said.
Sato, 57, currently serves as NPA deputy director general. He joined the NPA in 1968 and has served in various posts, including head of Osaka Prefectural Police.
Tanaka, 59, was appointed NPA chief in January 2000 and dealt with a series of scandals involving police officers in Kanagawa and other prefectures. He was in charge of security for the World Cup finals.
The sources said Takeshi Noda, 58, will step down as superintendent general of the Metropolitan Police Department and Shigeaki Ishikawa, 58, currently chief of the MDP's secretariat, will succeed him.