Mr. Fujio Mitarai, president of Canon Inc., has been picked to succeed Mr. Hiroshi Okuda as head of Nippon Keidanren (the Japan Business Federation). He will start leading the organization dubbed as the "commanding headquarters" of Japan's business community in May 2006.
Mr. Mitarai's selection symbolizes Japan's economic transformation. He has formidable international business experience and is from a company that specializes in high-technology products such as digital cameras, copying machines and computer peripherals.
His background contrasts with that of most of his predecessors at Keidanren (the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations) and Nippon Keidanren, who were from such traditional mainstay industries as chemical, steel, heavy machinery, automotive and electric power. Mr. Okuda is chairman of Toyota Motor Corp.