Shigeru Shoji is the ex CEO of VW Japan.  Shoji was employed by

VW HQs in 2012 and was subsequently seconded to VW Japan as its

CEO.  By all accounts he was very successful at growing VW’s

business in Japan, tirelessly visiting his distributors across Japan and

exhorting them to sell more.  His work paid off and VW became the

absolute top seller within the Japanese imported car sector.  Success

led to his becoming chairman of the Japan Automobile Importers’

Association in 2014.  But he suddenly quit voluntarily in July 2015. 

Since this was just after he had announced the new VW Passat’s

introduction to the Japanese market (the gasoline engine variety, not

the diesel), speculations[LINK] were rife -- the link provided is a typical one 〓

that Shoji was forced out because of differences with VW HQs over

marketing policies and results.

Prior to heading VW Japan, Shoji built his career as an employee of

general trading company (a sogo shosha in Japanese parlance) Itochu