Kobe Steel Ltd. announced that its chief executive officer will resign following a scandal over the fabrication of data for products delivered to a wide range of industries. The company has approved the resignations of CEO Hiroya Kawasaki and Akira Kaneko, also executive vice president and head of the aluminum and copper business, at a board meeting on March 5, 2018. Hiroya Kawasaki, who is also chairman and president stepping down from all three positions.

He stays on as a director but only until the annual shareholders' meeting in June.