The Cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Tuesday endorsed the reappointment of Takeshi Kondo as president of the state-run Japan Highway Public Corp.
The decision paves the way for Kondo to become the first president of one of the successors of Japan Highway following its privatization into three entities next fiscal year. The reappointment will be officially made Friday.
Kondo resigned as a House of Councilor member from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to assume the presidency of Japan Highway in November 2003. The post was vacated the previous month when the government dismissed his predecessor, Haruho Fujii, for allegedly hiding a financial statement showing the entity's negative net worth.
Kondo, a former executive of trading house Itochu Corp., will serve until April 2008.