Isuzu achieved record high profits for two consecutive years in fiscal 2003 and 2004, so we have finally gotten back to the starting line and can now expand our business for further growth.
In April 2005, we established our mid-term business plan, with the aim of becoming a Leading Global Company.Based on this, we are now doing our best to raise our corporate value and to strengthen our competitiveness.For Isuzu, "Leading Global Company" does not refer only to profits, but also to our commitment to the environment and society. We also want to be an excellent company for which every employee takes pride in working.

Isuzu will always mean the best: This is our corporate vision, which connotes Isuzu's commitment to support customers and to do our best to enrich their lives. To achieve this, each individual employee must be aware of his or her responsibility within this vision, and work hard to make our company open and friendly to society. It is crucial for each of us to think about what we can do to achieve our individual objectives.
As for my own responsibility, I frequently suggest to government officials in developing countries that they should be more aggressive in environmental regulation because air pollution is a serious problem in those countries. I think Isuzu is responsible to support such countries with environmentally-friendly products that provide universal value.
I also like to exchange opinions with our younger employees. I was once asked by the personnel in charge of our Latin America sales, "Isuzu vehicles are more expensive than those of our competitors because our prices includes additional costs associated with environmental regulations. How should we market our high-priced trucks in developing countries? " I responded, "The solution is to have our customers understand our policies and products, not just our pricing, and to provide them with happier, richer, more environmentally sound lives with our high quality trucks. It won't be easy, but it's something we need to do."

I anticipate that the basic process in vehicle production will become "base vehicle plus options." We can reduce costs, for example, by mass-producing the same vehicle bases for Australia, New Zealand, and Africa as one category. Simultaneously, we can optimize both overall and individual requirements by meeting each customer's needs by adding options to base vehicle models. I would like to strongly promote this process, balancing cost and function. Such a process can produce not only better product marketability through the addition of desired specifications or equipment, but also better environmental performance.
After all,our customers ultimately determine our corporate value. Manufacturers are especially continually asked how they can effectively integrate customer requirements and assessments, while simultaneously producing products that have universal value.
We are striving to be the world number one in every business field, including management, the environment and safety, as we aim to be a Leading Global Company.

In the minus 15°C(5°F) freezing cold weather in Karuizawa, I still felt blessed by nature in the refreshing morning sunshine and snow.