In a different world, Ken Kutaragi and Kaz Hirai ascended the corporate ladder, hand-in-hand.

In what comes across as merely hemming and hawing before the inevitable, Sony released a brief statement today pushing back on reports that executive Kaz Hirai, long associated with the PlayStation division, would become the company’s president.

According to the original report, Hirai would be Sony's new president, and current CEO Howard Stringer would retain his position. It’s been expected Hirai would eventually replace Stringer.

“Certain media reports were published on January 7, 2012 regarding Sony Corporation's executive officers' appointments,” said the company. “Sony Corporation has made no announcement in this regard and nothing has been determined at this time.”

That’s not exactly a denial, either.