JR Hokkaido has decided to appoint Fuminao Nishino (西野史尚), former executive vice president of JR East, to the newly created position of assistant to the president. Nishino will serve full time and lead management reforms in the railway business, including loss-making sections. Sachi Hashimoto (橋本幸) is expected to be appointed special adviser. The appointments will be formally decided at a board meeting this week and are scheduled to take effect on 1 November.
JR Hokkaido has announced plans to create a new "assistant to the president" position as part of its efforts to improve management, and to appoint Nishino Fuminao (西野 史尚), a former executive vice president of JR East, on a full-time basis. Nishino, who has also served as executive vice president of JR Hokkaido, is expected to lead management reforms in the railway business, including loss-making sections considered difficult to maintain independently.
Nishino's role will be to drive reforms in the railway business, including the 8 loss-making sections known as the Yellow sections. The position will be newly created. Further details on the scope of the business and how the reforms will be carried out are expected to be announced in due course.
Hashimoto Sachi (橋本 幸), a former director-general of the Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and current chairman of the Hokkaido Development Engineering Center, is also expected to be appointed as a special adviser. Hashimoto is expected to draw on his experience as a member of the "Earning Power" project team, which aims to expand revenue from non-railway businesses.
Hashimoto is reportedly scheduled to oversee projects including the redevelopment of the Naebo district in Sapporo as a special adviser. The appointments are expected to be formally approved by the board of directors, with both taking office on 1 November.