Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Thursday tapped Kazuhiko Shimokobe, head of the decision-making board of the public entity that is providing financial aid to Tokyo Electric Power Co., as the utility's next chairman.
Shimokobe accepted Noda's request.
The 64-year-old lawyer will have to take a leading role in turning Tepco around as it struggles in the aftermath of the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.