![Michimasa Fujino, who led the design and development of the HondaJet as well as the launching of an entirely new business jet manufacturer, will retire on March 31 but continue in a role as advisor to Honda Aircraft. (Photo: Honda Aircraft Company) Michimasa Fujino poses with parts of HondaJet fuselage at the company's production facility](https://bjtonline.com/sites/bjtonline.com/files/styles/bjt30_article_large/public/uploads/2022/02/fujino-production-web.jpg?itok=swjq4rbJ×tamp=1646082455)
Honda Aircraft CEO Michimasa Fujino To Retire
He led the company’s launch and the design and development of the HondaJet.
Honda Aircraft CEO Michimasa Fujino—who led the business jet manufacturer's launch and the design and development of the HondaJet—will retire on March 31. Parent company Honda Motor's policy requires that executives retire at age 62, and, according to Honda Aircraft, Fujino has reached that age.
Taking over Fujino's role is Hideto Yamasaki, who will become president and director on April 1. However, Fujino will remain an adviser to Honda Aircraft.
"Since I was appointed for the aircraft development project at Honda in 1986 to 1997,” Fujino said in a statement provided to BJT, “I wanted to design and commercialize an aircraft that could bring new value to the aviation industry—a technologically advanced, fast, efficient, comfortable, and easy-to-fly business jet."