As of 2026, 1,911 companies had adopted the CEO title, a 1.6-fold increase over the past 5 years. Newly established CEO positions are spreading across industries, including manufacturing and wholesale, with more companies adopting a CEO structure, as in the case of Morinaga & Co.
The number of Japanese companies using CEO as the title for their top executive stood at 1,911 as of October 2026, up 187 from 1,724 a year earlier. The figure has expanded 1.6-fold over the past 5 years. Although such companies account for only about 0.7% of the approximately 270,000 companies covered by the available data, their number is steadily increasing.
A total of 170 companies newly adopted the CEO title. By industry, services accounted for the largest number at 64, followed by manufacturing at 42 and wholesale at 30. Manufacturing and wholesale combined accounted for 72 companies, or more than 40% of the total. The CEO title is spreading as a top management position across a broad range of industries.
The average age of newly appointed CEOs was 55.2, remaining around 55 over the past 5 years. This was slightly above the average age of 53.9 for all CEOs, but below the 60.1 average for presidents and chairmen. Most new appointments involved changing the title at existing companies, and the total also includes companies led by young entrepreneurs.
In April 2025, Morinaga & Co. shifted to a management structure consisting of a CEO responsible for strategic decision-making and a COO responsible for business execution, with the aims of strengthening corporate governance and achieving its management plan. The benefits of adopting a CEO are considered substantial, against a backdrop of dialogue with overseas investors and more sophisticated group management.