90-Year-Old Canon President to Step Down for Third Time

Jan 30, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Canon announced a change in its top management, with President Fujio Mitarai set to relinquish the presidency for the third time. Mitarai, currently 90, will move into the role of chairman and chief executive officer while handing day-to-day management to Vice President Ogawa, who will assume the post of president and chief operating officer.

“I will continue to set the company’s management direction as chairman and CEO, while working closely with Vice President Ogawa as he takes on the role of president and COO,” Mitarai said.

Mitarai first became president in 1995 and has led the company for more than three decades, steering Canon’s expansion into a global enterprise.

In 2006, he was selected as chairman of Keidanren, becoming one of Japan’s most prominent business leaders, and also served as a member of the government’s Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy.

Mitarai returned to the presidency in 2020 after the previous president stepped down for health reasons, marking his third term in the role after a four-year interval. The latest announcement represents his third departure from the presidency, as he transitions to focus on strategic oversight as chairman and CEO.

Source: TBS

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