File photo of Takayuki Ohigashi, president of Ohosho Food Service Corp. He was shot and killed on Thursday morning in the western Japanese city of Kyoto.?[Photo / chinanews.com]

OSAKA - The president of a major food service company running restaurant chains in Japan and China was shot and killed on Thursday morning in the western Japanese city of Kyoto, local press reported.

Takayuki Ohigashi, 72, who had been serving as president and representative director in Ohosho Food Service Corp, was gunned down by an unknown attacker at around 7:00 am local time, soon after he parked his car near the company's head office building in Yamashina Ward of the city.

The report cited rescue officials as saying that he was shot multiple times and carried to a nearby hospital where he died from his injuries.