To whom it may concern:
April 30, 2026
Company name: Harima Chemicals Group, Inc.
Representative: Yoshihiro Hasegawa, President (Code: 4410; Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market) Address inquiries to: Yoshihito Kobayashi,
Director, Human Resources and General Affairs
(Tel. +81-6-6201-2461)
Reason for the change in Representative Directors and Other OfficersThe following is a notice of the latest changes in the senior personnel of Harima Chemicals Group, Inc., decided during the Board of Directors' Meeting of April 30, 2026, and which will be finalized during the Shareholders' Meeting of June 26, 2026.
1. Change in Representative Directors
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Reason for the change
Amid significant changes in the business environment surrounding the company, we have determined that further strengthening our management structure is necessary to achieve medium- to long-term improvements in corporate value.
Since assuming his position, current President & Representative Director Yoshihiro Hasegawa has dedicated himself to strengthening the Group's business foundation, expanding overseas operations, developing new business domains, enhancing the research and development structure, and advancing corporate governance, thereby making a significant contribution to the company's sustainable growth.
In light of these achievements, and with the aim of further enhancing corporate value, we have determined that it is appropriate to ensure a smooth transition of management to the next generation.
Accordingly, following careful deliberation by the Nomination and Compensation Committee regarding candidates for the successor to the President, and upon receiving their recommendation, the company will transition to a new management structure.
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Details of the Change
Name
New Position
Former Position
Yoshihiro Hasegawa
Chairman & Representative Director
President & Representative Director
Ichiro Taninaka
President & Representative Director
Senior Executive Managing Representative Director Senior Managing Executive Officer
President, R&D Company
Scheduled Start Date : June 26, 2026
Profile of the President & Representative Director
Name: Ichiro Taninaka
Born: March 12, 1968 Number of shares held: 47,951
Career summary: April 1993 Joined the Company
April 2005 Director, Development, Central Research Laboratory June 2008 Operating Officer
June 2010 Managing Director
January 2011 Director, Corporate Planning October 2012 Director, Information System October 2012 Director, Auditing
Director, Operation
June 2014 Executive Managing Director June 2014 Managing Executive Officer
June 2014 President & CEO, LAWTER B.V.
June 2020 Senior Executive Managing Director
June 2020 Senior Managing Executive Officer (current position)
June 2021 Managing Director, Harima Chemicals, Inc. (current position) March 2023 President, R&D Company (current position)
June 2023 Chairman, LAWTER B.V.
June 2025 Senior Executive Managing Representative Director (current position)
1. Details of Reassignment of Directors and Appointment of Operating Officers
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Reassignment of Directors and Appointment of Operating Officers (as of June 26, 2026)
Name
New Position
Former Position
Personnel Changes
Shunichiro Taoka
Senior Executive Managing Director Senior Managing Executive Officer Chairman, LAWTER B.V.
Director, Corporate Planning
Executive Managing Director Managing Executive Officer Chairman, LAWTER B.V.
Director, Corporate Planning
Promotion
Eiketsu
Ro
Retired
Advisor
Executive Managing Director
Resignation
Yuka Hayashi
Managing Director
(Outside Audit & Supervisory Committee Member)
Managing Director
(Outside Audit & Supervisory Committee Member)
Reappointment
Yoshinari Hikosaka
Managing Director
(Audit & Supervisory Committee Member)
(Substitute)
Managing Director
(Audit & Supervisory Committee Member)
(Substitute)
Reappointment
Tomoaki Akazawa
Managing Director
(Audit & Supervisory Committee Member)
(Substitute)
Managing Director
(Audit & Supervisory Committee Member)
(Substitute)
Reappointment
- Appointment of Operating Officers (as of June 26, 2026）
Name | New Position | Former Position | Personnel Changes |
Kiyotaka Uetsuji | Managing Executive Officer Director, Accounting and Finance | Senior Operating Officer Director, Accounting and Finance | Promotion |
Yoshifumi Kajitani | Managing Executive Officer President, Resins and Tall Oil Products Company | Senior Operating Officer President, Resins and Tall Oil Products Company | Promotion |
Seishi Kumamoto | Senior Operating Officer President, Electronic Materials Company | Senior Operating Officer President, Electronic Materials Company | Reappointment |
Yoshihiro Fujimoto | Senior Operating Officer Senior Director, Production Division Director, Safety/Environment/Quality | Senior Operating Officer Senior Director, Production Division Director, Safety/Environment/Quality Director, Production Engineering | Reappointment |
Mikio Katayama | Senior Operating Officer Co-CEO, LAWTER B.V. | Senior Operating Officer Co-CEO, LAWTER B.V. | Reappointment |
Kazunari Sakai | Senior Operating Officer Co-CEO, LAWTER B.V. | Operating Officer Co-CEO, LAWTER B.V. | Promotion |
Ken Uragami | Senior Operating Officer Director, Purchasing | Operating Officer Director, Purchasing | Promotion |
Shigeru Furuya | Retired President, Harima USA, Inc. | Operating Officer President, Harima USA, Inc. | Resignation |
Yoshiaki Iwasa | Operating Officer Vice-President, Paper Chemicals Company Vice President, Hangzhou Hanghua Harima Chemicals Co., Ltd. | Operating Officer Vice-President, Paper Chemicals Company Vice President, Hangzhou Hanghua Harima Chemicals Co., Ltd. | Reappointment |
Atsushi Fukui | Operating Officer Vice President, LAWTER B.V. | Operating Officer Vice President, LAWTER B.V. | Reappointment |
Jaap van den Born | Operating Officer Director, Sales EMEA & NA, LAWTER B.V. | Operating Officer Director, Sales EMEA & NA, LAWTER B.V. | Reappointment |
Hiroyuki Kozasa | Operating Officer Senior Director, Management Division, Harima M.I.D., Inc. | Operating Officer Vice-President, Resins and Tall Oil Products Company Senior Director, Management Division, Harima M.I.D., Inc. | Reappointment |
Kazushige Inaoka | Operating Officer President, R&D Company Director, R&D Center, R&D Company | Operating Officer Director, R&D Center, R&D Company | Reappointment |
Yoshihito Kobayashi | Operating Officer Director, Human Resources and General Affairs | Operating Officer Director, Human Resources and General Affairs | Reappointment |
Takahiro Fujiwara | Operating Officer Vice-President, Electronic Materials Company Director, Sales, Electronic Materials Company | Operating Officer Vice-President, Electronic Materials Company Director, Sales, Electronic Materials Company | Reappointment |
Atsushi Hashima | Operating Officer Vice-President, Resins and Tall Oil Products Company Director, Production, Resins and Tall Oil Products Company Assistant Senior Director, Production Division, Resins and Tall Oil Products Company | Director, Production, Resins and Tall Oil Products Company Assistant Senior Director, Production Division, Resins and Tall Oil Products Company | New appointment |
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