TOKYO (March 15, 2006) —Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. has announced new assignments for directors and corporate officers, including a new Tire Group president, effective April 1.
Takashi Yamashita was promoted to director and senior managing corporate officer and president of the Tire Group. He retains his post as Yokohama's general manager of the original equipment tire sales division. He had been director and managing corporate officer in charge of tire technology and tire production.
Takashi Sugimoto, director and senior managing corporate officer, was named chairman of Yokohama Rubber (China) Co. Ltd. and appointed to head up BRICs Business Development for the markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China. He formerly was president of the Tire Group.
Akihisa Takayama was promoted to managing corporate officer and general manager of the tire production division. He formerly was general manager of that division.
Some of Yokohama's corporate officers also received these additional assignments:
* Michio Yuge was placed in charge of the corporate general affairs department and the corporate purchasing department and was named general manager of the corporate compliance department.
* Yasuhiro Mizumoto was named general manager of the Shinshiro, Japan, plant.
* Tooru Kobayashi was named general manager of the tire planning division, chairman of Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc., and placed in charge of the off-the-road tire & aircraft tire
division.
* Hideo Fujiwara, general manager of the corporate finance and accounting department, was also placed in charge of the corporate personnel department.