Suntory CEO Takeshi Niinami resigned following an investigation into his alleged possession of illegal supplements. File Photo by Dennis M. Sabangan/EPA
Sept. 2 (UPI) — The leader of Japan’s Suntory Holdings beverage company resigned following allegations that he purchased illegal substances.
The company announced Tuesday in a press release that Representative Director, Chairperson and CEO Takeshi Niinami was stepping down due to an August investigation by the Fukuoka Prefectural Police into his possession of prohibited “supplements.”
“We apologize from the bottom of our hearts for causing trouble over the incident,” Suntory Holdings President Nobuhiro Torii said in a
press conference on Tuesday.
Niinami said he believed the supplements to be legal. The exact type of supplements were not been publicly identified, but Suntory has confirmed the substances in question are not produced by the company.
He was given a drug test for the cannabinoid THC, which is illegal in Japan in excess of a certain amount, but that came back negative.
The company said that it will defer to the authorities in regard to the legality of the supplements in question.
“However, for the top executive management of Suntory Group, strict compliance with laws and regulations is fundamental, and exercising appropriate caution in purchasing supplements is an indispensable quality,” the press release stated.
“Therefore, without waiting for the outcome of the investigation, the company determined that Takeshi Niinami’s actions which demonstrated a lack of awareness regarding supplements rendered him unable to continue in the key position of Representative Director, Chairman [and] Chief Executive Officer.” The statement continued.
It was then after a series of discussions that Niinami resigned “due to his own reasons” on Sunday.
Suntory Vice President Kenji Yamada has since confirmed that even if the investigation doesn’t lead to any criminal charges, Suntory’s decision regarding his inability to further lead the company remains unchanged.
Niinami also serves as the chairperson, of Keizai Doyukai, or Japan Association of Corporate Executives, a business lobbying organization. It is unclear if there has been any change in his role.