Kunio Kawasaki
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
Born in Osaka in 1907, he graduated from the Faculty of Law at Tokyo Imperial University in March 1931 and joined Nippon Keito Boseki in December 1932. When that company merged with Toyobo in 1942 he moved over, becoming a Counselor in March 1954 and a Director in June 1956. He rose to Managing Director in August 1957, Senior Managing Director in June 1961 and Executive Vice President in June 1963. Rather than a career employee, he rose from an absorbed company to the presidency of the parent.
Selection
In June 1966 he succeeded Toyosaburo Taniguchi as President, in step with the merger with Kureha Spinning. The merger had been completed in April that year, and Kyoichi Ito, who had been President of Kureha Spinning, sat alongside him as Executive Vice President. He was promoted after three years as Executive Vice President. Net income had fallen to ¥250 million in the FY ended April 1966, just after the merger, and his role was to integrate the two former companies and push through restructuring.
Initiatives
He began clearing out bad assets and unprofitable divisions after the merger, and after two periods without dividends restored a 10% dividend in the FY ended October 1967. In February 1968 he halted pulp production at the Inuyama Plant and transferred the rights to Tohoku Pulp, and the following March launched the Chemical Products Division, converting the plant to film production. In December 1971 biaxially oriented polyester film came out of this plant. Over his eight years, sales grew from ¥84.8 billion in the FY ended April 1966 to ¥311.5 billion in the FY ended April 1974, and net income from ¥250 million to ¥7.8 billion.
Career
Career
Toyobo
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1966 | President |
| Jun 1974 | Stepped down as President |