Takao Kato

Representative Executive Officer, CEO (becoming Chairman of the Board, FY2026), Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

Search every verified Takao Kato interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In May 2020, Takao Kato, then CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, discussed the company's fiscal 2019 results, describing the business environment as "extremely challenging" due to declining global automobile demand, economic slowdown in China, and the early impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that the company implemented measures such as reducing fixed costs and optimizing inventories, but the earnings environment deteriorated more than expected, leading to missed targets. Kato highlighted the success of the Expander model in ASEAN markets as a positive example of regional strategy, while acknowledging that factory operations in Japan and overseas were forced to stop due to the pandemic. Kato also outlined plans for fiscal 2020 and beyond, stating that the company would promptly implement measures to reduce fixed costs and intended to announce a specific reform plan, though he noted "extremely large uncertainties" in the short term. He reflected on the previous midterm plan, "Drive for Growth," saying that intensified competition, environmental regulations, and more sophisticated customer demands had increased the burden of investment, and that the company needed to strengthen its business structure in response to major changes in the automotive industry.