Overview

• At a press conference, Tsuyoshi Niinami asserted he broke no laws and said he will refrain from Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) activities, with senior deputy Mutsuo Iwai temporarily handling duties.
• Fukuoka prefectural police searched his home in August and reported finding no illegal drugs, and a urine test detected no substances suggesting drug use.
• Suntory Holdings accepted his resignation as chairman on September 1, saying the presence of doubts about his actions was itself unacceptable for the company.
• Niinami says a New York acquaintance recommended the supplements and later sent them via her brother in Fukuoka, who was arrested; he denies instructing any import or possessing or using the items in Japan, adding his family discarded them.
• Keizai Doyukai will decide his status within September through its ethics process, and Japan Chamber of Commerce head Ken Kobayashi said he understands the resignation as appropriate for a company that handles supplements.