Toyota's first female executive resigns

Tokyo

TOYOTA Motor Corp's first female executive lasted just 90 days in the job, resigning two weeks after a drug-related arrest and dealing a setback to president Akio Toyoda's efforts to diversify management ranks.

Julie Hamp, 55, Toyota's chief communications officer and one of the company's highest-ranking non-Japanese executives, gave notice of her resignation on Tuesday. Toyota said a day later that it accepted the resignation, citing the concerns and inconvenience raised by her June 18 arrest for allegedly importing prescription painkillers that require prior permission before they can be brought into Japan.