日商会頭に小林氏　交代９年ぶり、商社出身で初

　日本商工会議所は１０日、三村明夫会頭（８１、日本製鉄名誉会長）の後任に三菱商事の小林健会長（７３）を充てる人事を内定したと発表した。交代は９年ぶり。１１月の会員総会を経て就任する。任期は２期６年が通例で、東京商工会議所会頭を兼ねる。総合商社出身の日商トップは初めて。
　ウクライナ問題などを受けた原材料高が国内で中小企業の経営に大きな影響を与える中、国際経験が豊富で国内外に幅広い人脈や知見を持つ小林氏が適任と判断した。
　三村会頭は１０日、記者団の取材に応じ、選任理由について「中小企業に寄り添いながら、同時に日本全体を考えて政策発信できる。グローバルな視点を持ち、スタートアップ企業もよく知っている」と説明した。小林氏は同日、「コロナ禍の長期化や資材・燃料価格の高騰など、苦境にある中小企業への支援と自己変革を後押しするのが課題だ」とのコメントを発表した。（2022/03/10-15:44）

The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry plans to pick Ken Kobayashi, chairman of major trader Mitsubishi Corp. , as new JCCI chairman to succeed Akio Mimura.
   The JCCI will make an informal decision on the matter Thursday for announcement later in the day, informed sources said.
   Kobayashi, 73, will assume the post in November after the appointment is formalized at a general meeting of JCCI members in the month. He will concurrently serve as head of the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
   The JCCI will change its leader for the first time in nine years. Mimura, 81, honorary chairman of Nippon Steel Corp. , took up the top JCCI post in November 2013.
   The JCCI believes that Kobayashi, who has broad international experience and vast knowledge, as well as a lot of personal connections both in Japan and abroad, is the appropriate person to be the group's next leader, especially at a time when surging materials prices reflecting factors including Russia's invasion of Ukraine are having a great impact on business operations of small companies in Japan, accoding to the sources.