April 25 2009 - The chairman of Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. will resign after deeming that the firm's operations are solid following restructuring eight years ago, company officials said.
Osamu Shoda, who is the second son of former Nisshin Seifun President Hidesaburo Shoda and a younger brother of Empress Michiko, will step down as the food giant's chairman and board member on June 25.
The 66-year-old chairman will become an honorary chairman and adviser to the company. No one will succeed his position, and no founder family members will remain on the board.
Shoda, who became president of Nisshin Seifun in 1986, led the firm to establish its milling factories in coastal areas in advance of the import liberalization of wheat and helped it make a foray into the processed food business. He guided the company to become a huge food business group that focuses on wheat after restructuring it in July 2001.
Source [mainichi.jp]