Daihatsu Motor Co. said Monday it will name Hiroyuki Watanabe, senior technical executive at Toyota Motor Corp., as its new corporate auditor, dropping a plan to select former Toyota Motor North America Inc. President Hideaki Otaka, who has resigned over a sexual harassment scandal.

Daihatsu said the change took place as Otaka, who is senior adviser to Toyota's board, declined the post when he resigned as Toyota Motor North America president on May 8.

Otaka's Japanese secretary has filed a $190 million sexual harassment lawsuit against him, the parent company and Toyota's North American unit at the New York Supreme Court.

The 42-year-old employee claims that in less than six months after becoming Otaka's executive assistant in March 2005, she became the target of unwanted sexual advances and harassment.

Daihatsu said April 26 that it planned to name Otaka as the company's new auditor.