Toyota Motor Corp. chairman appointed Japan-China Economic Association head

Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Fujio Cho was appointed on Thursday new head of the Japan-China Economic Association to fill the vacancy since former head Akira Chihaya, then chairman of New Nippon Steel, died in January, the association's council said earlier in the day.

The 70-year-old Cho said after the appointment that he will make efforts to play an active role in the development of Japan- China friendship and the promotion of bilateral economic cooperation.

The Tokyo University Department of Law graduate became chairman of Toyota Motor Corp. in June 2006. He was appointed deputy head of Japan's biggest business lobby Japan Business Federation in May 2005 and was appointed head of Japan Automobile Industry Association in May 2006.

The Japan-China Economic Association, founded in 1972 by the Japanese government and Japan's civil societies, has been working on facilitating business exchanges between the two countries.

Source: Xinhua