Kyodo News president to quit over applicant flap
Kyodo News president to resign over official's inappropriate actions toward female applicant
TOKYO (AP) -- The president of Japan's Kyodo News agency has announced he will resign next month over inappropriate behavior by the company's former head of personnel toward a female job applicant.
Satoshi Ishikawa, 68, said Thursday he will step down to take responsibility for "creating confusion" over the incident, said Shoji Mitsuchi, deputy managing director.
A top deputy, Senior Executive Director Shuichi Ito, 60, will also resign. The resignations will be formalized during a June 20 regular general meeting of Kyodo's members, who are expected to select Ishikawa's successor.
Kyodo's former head of personnel, Satoru Kondo, 51, was fired on May 20 after the company discovered he had helped a female university student on her application essay and went out drinking with her at a traditional Japanese bar in December, Mitsuchi said.
Ishikawa became president in 2005, while Ito assumed his post last June.
Founded in 1945, Kyodo News has a staff of 1,600, including 1,000 journalists, with bureaus throughout Japan and in 36 countries around the world.
