Suntory CEO resigns after purchase of potentially illegal supplements

The supplements allegedly contained THC, the psychoactive constituent of cannabis, which is amerciable successful Japan.

Suntory Holdings CEO Takeshi Niinami, 1 of Japan’s best-known concern leaders, has resigned from the beverage radical pursuing a constabulary probe into his acquisition of a supplement that whitethorn person breached the country’s strict cause laws.

Niinami, who has served arsenic an advisor to respective Japanese premier ministers and was often the look of firm Japan astatine Davos and different planetary events, told Suntory helium purchased the supplement believing it was legal, the institution said connected Tuesday.

“I was not alert that it was an amerciable supplement. I americium innocent,” helium told the Asahi paper successful a study published Tuesday evening. He added that helium felt the institution would beryllium incapable to unite if helium did not resign. Reuters was not capable to instantly scope Niinami for comment.

Suntory’s president, Nobuhiro Torii, a great-grandson of the company’s laminitis Shinjiro Torii, told a property briefing that helium would present beryllium afloat helming the company.

“He was a bold, decisive person who got things done, and I genuinely respected him,” Torii said of Niinami. “In that respect – and I told this to him yesterday arsenic good – it’s a existent shame that we couldn’t proceed arsenic a team.”

Niinami, a fluent English speaker, is president of the influential Keizai Doyukai concern lobby. He said helium had nary volition of resigning from that role, according to the Asahi report. Keizai Doyukai officials were not instantly disposable for comment.

He is scheduled to clasp his regular property league for the concern lobby connected Wednesday afternoon, wherever helium is expected to explicate the details down his resignation.

Known for being outspoken, Niinami often voiced opinions connected however Japan’s system should beryllium managed and however the cardinal slope should act.

Investigation continues

The Tokyo Shimbun regular reported that constabulary successful Fukuoka prefecture were investigating whether supplements containing cannabis components had been sent to Niinami’s location – a probe that is connected to a antheral who was arrested successful July.

Other Japanese media said the supplements allegedly contained THC, the psychoactive constituent of cannabis, which is amerciable successful Japan. CBD, a abstracted chemic compound from the cannabis plant, however, is legal, and products containing it are disposable successful Japan.

Suntory, which makes whisky, brew and brushed drinks specified arsenic Orangina-branded soda, said Niinami told the institution connected August 22 that helium was the taxable of a constabulary investigation. He resigned connected September 1.

Niinami, 66, importantly expanded Suntory’s gross and profits, joining the drinks shaper arsenic president successful 2014 soon aft it purchased US spirits institution Beam for $16bn, including debt.

According to Tokyo Shimbun, constabulary questioned Niinami and searched his Tokyo home, but nary amerciable cause possession oregon usage has been confirmed. A Fukuoka Police authoritative was not instantly disposable to remark connected the reports.

A postgraduate of Harvard Business School, Niinami was antecedently main enforcement of convenience store relation Lawson earlier becoming Suntory’s boss, the archetypal caput of the steadfast from extracurricular its founding family.

Japan has strict cause laws. Late past year, Japanese endoscope shaper Olympus Corp sacked then-CEO Stefan Kaufmann, a German national, aft an allegation that helium had purchased amerciable drugs.

In 2015, constabulary arrested Toyota Motor enforcement Julie Hamp, a United States citizen, connected suspicion of illegally importing the painkiller oxycodone into the country. She was aboriginal released.