Japan Oilseed Processors Association (JOPA) has announced the retirement of Yoshinori Komura, Managing Director, effective May 23, 2013.

Mr. Komura has served as Managing Director of JOPA for the past 16 years and has made great efforts to strengthen and maintain an enduring relationship with the U.S. soy industry.  He has been a leading voice of the Japanese soybean industry, and once criticized high FM levels of U.S. soybeans, while supporting genetically modified soybeans.  Many grower leaders remember his warm and sincere attitude during U.S.-Japan Partnership Team visits in U.S. and Japan.
His successor will be Mr. Akira Saito, 60, formerly of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).  Mr. Saito retired from MAFF on March 31; his most recent position was general manager of the statistics department of the minister’s secretariat.  He is currently a professor at Kyoto University and has expertise in the Japanese food industry.