Takeshi Niinami, one of Japan’s most influential corporate leaders, has stepped down as chairman and CEO of Suntory Holdings effective September 1, 2025, after revealing he was under police investigation concerning supplements suspected of containing illegal substances. Authorities in Fukuoka Prefecture are examining whether shipments sent from overseas contained THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis. Niinami insisted he had purchased over-the-counter CBD products in the United States believing they were legal in Japan, stressing that the supplements never came into his possession and that he was innocent.
The company confirmed that Niinami, 66, offered his resignation to avoid further reputational damage. President Nobuhiro Torii, great-grandson of company founder Shinjiro Torii, said management concluded his actions “inevitably fall short of the qualities required of a chief executive,” and pledged the firm would “work together to regain trust.” Niinami has also stepped back from his duties as head of the Keizai Doyukai business lobby during the probe.
The leadership shake-up comes at a challenging time. Suntory, owner of brands such as Jim Beam, Laphroaig, Orangina and Lucozade, reported a 36% plunge in first-half earnings this year, far steeper than rivals Kirin and Asahi. The group cited economic uncertainty in Western markets, currency volatility, and the absence of last year’s one-off gains from the USD 1.2 billion sale of Courvoisier to Campari (inside.beer, 15.12.2023). In February, Suntory had already warned of a 23.4% drop in annual profit to 135 billion yen (USD 916 million).
Niinami, who joined Suntory in 2014 as its first non-family CEO after leading Lawson, was widely credited with boosting international sales to half of the group’s 3.4 trillion yen revenue. He oversaw the USD 16 billion acquisition of Beam in 2014, cementing Suntory’s place among the world’s top spirits producers. Known for his outspoken views on business and economic policy, he also advised several prime ministers, including Shigeru Ishiba. His resignation now casts uncertainty over the company’s global strategy and future direction.
