Mitsuo Sato
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
He was born in Tokyo in 1914. He graduated from Tokyo University of Commerce in March 1939 and entered the Ministry of Railways in April that year. He made his career in transport administration and became Administrative Vice-Minister of Transport in March 1967. After retiring from government he served as Chairman of the Japan Private Railway Association from May 1970 and as President of the Japan National Tourist Organization from April 1977. His path led through the railway operators' industry body and a tourism promotion organization into the management of a private railway.
Selection
In June 1979 he became Representative Director and President, succeeding Chiharu Kawasaki, who had been President for 21 years since November 1958 and moved to Chairman in the same month. At the same time, Kurao Murata, who had joined as Executive Vice President in June 1978 from the post of Managing Director of the Industrial Bank of Japan, sat alongside him as a Representative Director. The appointment appears to have entrusted the succession to a long regime not to an internal executive but to a man who had made his career in transport administration and industry bodies.
Initiatives
Chiharu Kawasaki, Chairman when Sato took office, stepped back to Director and Senior Adviser in June 1981, and the predecessor who had led a 21-year regime left the front line. The board included Kurao Murata from the Industrial Bank of Japan as Executive Vice President, Satoshi Nagamatsu from Sanwa Bank as Senior Managing Director and Kuniya Hirose from Mitsui Trust Bank as Managing Director. It also included directors who doubled as Presidents of Keisei Department Store, Keisei Store and Keisei Construction. This can be read as an arrangement in which non-railway businesses were held by affiliates whose presidents sat on the parent's board.
Career
Career
Ministry of Railways Ministry of Transport
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Apr 1939 | Joined the ministry |
| Mar 1967 | Vice-Minister of Transport |
日本民営鉄道協会 (translation pending)
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| May 1970 | President |
International Kanko Promotion Association
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Apr 1977 | Chairman |
Keisei Electric Railway
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Jun 1979 | Representative Director, President |