Honda will return to Japan where he will serve as an advisor to Sumitomo Rubber Industries for the remainder of the year.

Replacing Honda as CEO and chairman is Yasushi (Tank) Tanaka, a former director at SRI Tire Trading Ltd. in Tokyo. Tanaka joined SRI in 1976 and spent the majority of his career in the export and OE departments.

Honda joined Falken in January 1999 as president and chief operating officer and was promoted to CEO and chairman on Jan. 1, 2006. During his tenure, Honda increased the tiremaker’s sales four-fold and built the Falken brand into one of the leading high performance tire brands in North America, according to the company.

“Mr. Honda has served as a friend and mentor to many of us in the Falken family, and we all wish him as much fun and enjoyment in his retirement as he brought us while here at FTC,” said Richard Smallwood, president and COO.