Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The leader of Japan's Suntory Holdings beverage company resigned following allegations that he purchased illegal substances.
The company announced Tuesday in a press release that Representative Director, Chairperson and CEO Takeshi Niinami was stepping down due to an August investigation by the Fukuoka Prefectural Police into his possession of prohibited "supplements."
"We apologize from the bottom of our hearts for causing trouble over the incident," Suntory Holdings President Nobuhiro Torii said in a press conference on Tuesday.
Niinami said he believed the supplements to be legal. The exact type of supplements were not been publicly identified, but Suntory has confirmed the substances in question are not produced by the company.
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