In Japan, former Keizai Doyukai chair Niinami criticizes attitude toward suspects
In Japan, former chair of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives Keizai Doyukai Takeshi Niinami criticized the public tendency to consider people suspected of wrongdoing guilty before the facts are established. He said this in an interview in Tokyo, The Japan Times reports.
The supplements case
Last September, 67-year-old Niinami stepped down as chair of Keizai Doyukai and chair of Suntory Holdings amid claims that he had allegedly imported illegal supplements into Japan.
In May, prosecutors decided not to bring charges against him. During a recent interview, Niinami reiterated that the claims were unfounded.
Public reaction and plans
According to Niinami, the public reaction to reports about his case caused concern. He believes that an atmosphere in which a person is considered guilty without clarification of the circumstances could prevent Japan from attracting specialists from abroad.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
“A society where people are considered guilty without even knowing the facts will not succeed on a global scale,” Niinami said.
At the same time, he positively assessed the course of the investigation involving the Fukuoka Prefectural Police and other parties. According to him, the investigation was thorough and detailed, and the people asking questions behaved politely. Niinami also said that he had not been subjected to psychological pressure.
This month, Niinami is set to begin teaching crisis leadership to students at Stanford University in the United States as a visiting scholar. He ruled out returning to an executive position at a business association, noting that he is better suited to supporting presidents of a new generation, including as a chair or external director.
Commenting on the growth strategy of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government, focused on artificial intelligence, semiconductors and quantum technologies, Niinami proposed creating an institution to oversee the planning, execution, review and adjustment cycle with an active role for the private sector.
