Cypress, Calif. - Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (MMC) announced that effective March 1, 2014, Ryujiro Kobashi will succeed Yoichi Yokozawa as president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. (MMNA).

Prior to this, Kobashi was the corporate general manager of the North America Office at Mitsubishi Motors headquarters in Japan. He was the head manager of the main division coordinating North American operations including the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. His career with MMC began in April 1983 when he joined the company's Overseas Planning Department, supporting activities for sales and advertising/publicity in foreign countries, as a recent graduate of Hitotsubashi University, where he earned a Bachelor of Sociology degree.

Over the years, Kobashi has lived in a variety of diverse regions around the globe where he served in key management positions including overseeing the marketing, sales promotions and advertising for Mitsubishi Motors in Germany and the Netherlands, as well as coordinating the company's business operations in the ASEAN regions.

"I am very much looking forward to this new opportunity as we navigate Mitsubishi Motors North America to thrive in the U.S. market under MMC's 'New Stage 2016' business plan," said Kobashi.

Yokozawa will be returning to Japan for an executive assignment in MMC's Corporate Planning Office. He became president and CEO of MMNA in April 2011, and oversaw three critical North American product launches: the all-electric i-MiEV, the redesigned 2014 Outlander and most recently, the new 2014 Mirage. He also oversaw the commencement of U.S. production, in 2012, of the Outlander Sport at MMNA's Manufacturing Division in Normal, Ill.