Nikkei reported [J, subscription required, not permitted] that Google Japan President Koichiro Tsujino resigns at the end of this month, April 2010.
Also, Google is reported to erase out the local president position from Japan branch. Google basically does not appoint a local president in other countries and Google Japan’s one was an exception. Their executives list has many vice presidents worldwide but only has 6 presidents, 2 of which are founder Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Nikkei tells that another sales executive takes “representative director” position from a legal standpoint but it is only for paper.
Google is known by its location-free coworking style, and Japan is going to be managed more directly from Mountain View.
Koichiro Tsujino joined from Sony to Google Japan in 2007, moved up to the president on 2009-01-01. Just after taking the position in February 2009, Google Japan had a big marketing runaway around pay-per-post usage, which, I think, makes Google HQ angry and more sceptical the need of Japan office independence, though that campaign must not be done under his presidency.
Neither Google Japan or Tsujino’s Twitter account @ktsujino announced about this resignation yet. His Twitter and private blog tells that he was hospitalized by intestinal blockage [J] for weeks since middle of January, but it is not confirmed if this resignation and Google’s decision was triggered by his health issue or not.
Thanks @kansai_takako, @tokuriki and @hiroyoshi for info.
