Toyota names Kenta Kon C.E.O. amid tariffs and rising competition

Nytimes reports that Toyota Motor will make Kenta Kon, its chief financial officer, C.E.O. on April 1. He succeeds Koji Sato, who will become vice chairman. The company faces rising protectionism and geopolitical frictions, including a 15 percent tariff on auto exports to the United States under a trade deal with the Trump administration and growing competition from Chinese automakers such as BYD.

In January, China threatened to curtail exports to Japan of rare earths, which industry experts say would first affect Japan’s auto sector. Mr. Kon, a longtime Toyota veteran, earned recognition within the company for managing pandemic-era supply chain disruptions, including stockpiling semiconductors that spared Toyota from cutting production.

He is expected to be a steadying hand as the company navigates these challenges. Toyota continues to top global sales while pursuing electric cars and maintaining hybrids and other vehicles.