Japan retailer and mall operator Aeon Co has started the year with a reshuffle of its management team.

The changes will effectively halve the number of executives and employees at head office level, with many functions like human resources and other operational roles moved to operating units, reducing centralisation.

In personnel, Aeon Mall president Soichi Okazaki has been appointed president of Aeon Retail, replacing Kazunori Umemoto, who takes the role of Aeon Retail chairman.

Okazaki, 56, joined Aeon’s predecessor Jusco in 1981 and climbed through the ranks to take his current role in 2011.

In Aeon’s Daiei division, president Shohei Murai will move into the role of chairman. He will be replaced by Yasuhide Chikazawa, currently senior MD of the business.

All the changes will take effect on February 1.

Aeon says it believes that by placing resources within subsidiaries rather than centralising such operations, its divisions will be able to respond more rapidly to changing market conditions.