Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe Defies Calls to Resign
A group of former Honda executives led by Nobuhiko Kawamoto unsuccessfully sought the resignation of CEO Toshihiro Mibe over his electric vehicle strategy and losses in China. Despite reporting the first annual loss in decades, Mibe remains in his role with the backing of the company board.
HONDA MOTOR CO LTD Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe survived a months-long ouster attempt by retired executives following a projected annual loss. The "old guard" blamed Mibe for neglecting China and making a failed $12 billion bet on electric vehicles. The internal rift highlights the struggle of legacy automakers in Japan to balance combustion-engine profits with a rapid shift toward software-driven EVs.
### Internal Revolt Over EV Strategy A group of former leaders, including ex-CEO Nobuhiko Kawamoto, spent months privately criticizing Mibe’s leadership through text messages and meetings. They argued Mibe abandoned the "genba" philosophy—focusing on the actual workplace—by failing to visit Chinese operations and industry events. Kawamoto reportedly visited Tokyo headquarters in April to demand Mibe’s resignation, people familiar with the meeting said.
