He replaces Eisaku Mori, who held a similar position, and
returned to Kawasaki Heavy Industries as general manager of General
Purpose Engine Division.
Yoshimatsu has been with Kawasaki companies for nearly 35 years.
Originally assigned as an engineer for the brand’s motorcycle
group – both for consumer product application and competitive racing – he
transitioned to the general purpose engine division where he initially worked
as an engineer developing Kawasaki’s FC180V engine.
He came to the U.S. to establish the R&D center at
Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A. in Maryville, Missouri in the
mid-1990s before returning to Japan to work on the development of several new
additions to the Kawasaki engine line-up.
Upon returning again to the U.S., he ultimately became R&D director at the
Maryville facility, which was then turning out hundreds of thousands of units
each year. Following numerous initiatives that helped assure Kawasaki
brand growth here, he took over as R&D senior manager at Kawasaki Heavy
Industries, Ltd. General Purpose Engine Division.
This current posting back in the U.S. provides Yoshimatsu with oversight of all
facets of the Engines Division operations.
“I’m pleased to be able to work with an experienced team that easily integrates
functions so that company objectives are quickly met, benefiting us, our OEMs,
distributors and dealers, and Kawasaki end-users,” said Yoshimatsu.