Honda picks easy-going insider to repair reputation

Tokyo

HONDA Motor Co is turning to an insider who's spent his entire career at the company to navigate out of a global auto safety crisis, after seven people died in its cars.

Takahiro Hachigo this week becomes the eighth president of one of Japan's most renowned companies. By replacing Takanobu Ito, whose tenure was plagued by recalls and rupturing Takata Corp air bags, he upholds a 41-year custom of Honda presidents hand-picking their successors from within.