Departures of note

Masahiro Sakane was a prominent Japanese business leader who served as president and CEO of Komatsu, the global construction machinery manufacturer. Joining the company in 1963 as a bulldozer design engineer, he rose through the ranks to become president in 2001, taking over during a period of record losses and steering the company through a structural reform that produced a dramatic V-shaped recovery. Under his leadership Komatsu expanded aggressively into emerging markets across China, Southeast Asia, India, and Africa, reaching 2 trillion yen in sales and becoming the world's second-largest construction machinery maker. He was recognized for his management achievements, receiving the Deming Prize in 2008 and being ranked among the top-performing CEOs by Harvard Business Review in 2009.

Beyond Komatsu, Sakane held numerous influential positions in Japanese industry and public policy. He served as vice-chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), chairman of the Takeda Pharmaceutical board, chairman of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy, and as a participant in the Bank of Japan. He was also a member of the government's Industrial Competitiveness Council and the National Strategic Special Zones Advisory Council. In 2014 he was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun for his contributions.

Sakane was also a prolific author, writing several books on management philosophy, including works on his "dantotsu" (unrivaled) management approach and leadership. He remained active as an advisor and speaker well into his later years.