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Suzuki Out at Suzuki

25 May 2000

Suzuki Names New President & Struggles with Operating Profits

    TOKYO - Masao Toda, Suzuki Motor Corporation's current Vice President, will 
become its next president, following a formal vote by the board of directors at 
the end of June.  Mr. Toda originally joined Suzuki in 1958 and will become 
the company's fifth president.  He will replace Osamu Suzuki, who has held the 
post for about 20 years.

    Suzuki Motor is an affiliate of General Motors, which owns about 10% of the 
Japanese car maker.  Suzuki was founded in 1920 by Michio Suzuki, the grandfather 
of Osamu Suzuki's wife.

    In another related story, Suzuki revealed disappointing news on Wednesday 
that operating profit for the year ending March 2000 had fallen 10%.  The 
results were blamed on increased domestic competition in Japan, a general lack 
of Japanese consumer confidence, and the strong yen.  However, the news had a 
brighter side to it: Suzuki suffered a smaller decline than Honda, which last 
week said it expected consolidated net income to fall 28% for the fiscal year.


MJR