H2O Retailing Corp. announced the appointment of Naoya Araki, now representative director of the company, based in Osaka, western Japan, as its new president, effective April 1. Araki, 62, currently doubles as president of Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores Inc., an H2O unit. H2O's current president, Atsushi Suzuki, 63, will become chairman without right to represent the company. Toshihiko Yamaguchi, 56, director of Hankyu Hanshin, will become its president to replace Araki, who will step aside to the post of chairman at the department store unit.