Tokyo – Shigeo Fukuchi has taken the helm of troubled Japanese pubcaster NHK as its new President, replacing Genichi Hashimoto who stepped down at the end of his three-year term on Jan 24 although he resigned earlier to take responsibility for alleged insider trading by three members of NHK’s staff in a case that is still being investigated. Speaking at the press conference at NHK Broadcasting Center in Tokyo, Fukuchi said that his position with NHK will be the final and “most challenging job of his life”, stating that the pubcaster has to regain the public’s trust. NHK has been rocked by a series of scandals during Hashimoto’s term including misappropriation of funds and alleged “toning down” of a Second World War show following pressure from ex-Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe NHK’s Board of Governors approved Fukuchi as the incoming President on Dec 25, 2007. He joins the pubcaster from Asahi Breweries, Ltd. where he was most recently Advisor to the Board. He served as Asahi Breweries Chairman and CEO from 2002 and has been with the company since 1957. Fukuchi is the first President from outside NHK since the late Yoshizo Ikeda from Mitsui & Co., Ltd., held the appointment in 1988. One of Fukuchi’s immediate tasks will be to appoint NHK’s new Executive Vice President to replace Taeko Nagai who has resigned after serving her three-year term.