A former president of Japanese machinery manufacturer Komatsu Ltd., who drew public attention for holding a farewell party for friends and employees after announcing he had incurable gallbladder cancer, has died of the disease, the company said Thursday. He was 81.
Satoru Anzaki, who served as Komatsu president from 1995 to 2001, died Saturday morning. He hosted the farewell party in Tokyo in December "to express appreciation" to some 1,000 people, including former employees.
The party was held after Anzaki placed an advertisement in a national newspaper the previous month revealing he had cancer and that it had spread and become inoperable.
After serving as Komatsu president, the Tokushima Prefecture native also assumed the post of chairman and was a member of the National Public Safety Commission.
