Google to scrap president post of Japanese unit

US Internet giant Google will abolish the position of president in its Japanese unit and seek to integrate it in its global operations more closely, a company spokesman said Tuesday.
Koichiro Tsujino, the current president of Google Japan, will step down soon and "we will then eliminate the position for good," said a spokesman for the Japanese unit, who declined to be named.
The announcement comes as Google aims to catch up in the world's second-biggest economy, where it ranks second behind Yahoo Japan, although the gap between the two giants has been shrinking gradually.
Analysts say Google is stepping up efforts to expand businesses in Asia following its decision to effectively shut down its China search engine because of worries over censorship and cyberattacks.
The Japanese arm of Google, which has been the exception in having a local president position, will now be run from the company's global headquarters in California, said the spokesman.