Thanks to the support of customers and other stakeholders, HIOKI, which operates facilities for developing, manufacturing, selling, and servicing electrical measuring instruments in the city of Ueda in Nagano Prefecture, has been in business for more than 80 years since its founding in 1935.

Our headquarters is located on a campus known as HIOKI Forest Hills, so named because employees have continued an annual tradition of planting seedlings at the site to create a lush setting with more than 90,000 trees. In 2015, we completed construction of the HIOKI Innovation Center, a new addition to the site. Featuring panoramic views of its leafy grounds and the surrounding mountains, the Center is designed to lay the foundation for the company’s future by bringing our research and development employees together at a single location that is uniquely suited to the creation of distinctive products with high added value. From this base in Ueda we’re striving to deliver even higher-quality products and more sophisticated services as part of a global business that serves customers throughout Japan and around the world.

For us to play an essential role in society during these tumultuous times, we’ll need both sure vision and solid strategy. I believe that the first key in that regard will be the way our employees work. An environment that keeps them feeling engaged while allowing them lead happy and fulfilling lives outside work bolsters motivation and drives the creation of new ideas. That’s because respecting the humanity of employees and creating a comfortable and relaxing work environment leads directly to rich creativity, which in turn helps us become a company that’s capable of creating high-value-added products.

The second key is strengthening the relationships of trust we’ve built with all stakeholders while contributing to society in general. That means having developers and engineers visit customers’ facilities to learn more about their issues and needs. It also means interacting with local residents and deepening trust, which is why we’re involved with an array of community activities designed to give shape to our strong commitment to mutual growth. Examples include establishing a scholarship program to help students from Nagano attend science and engineering universities, hosting regular lectures that are open to the general public, and supporting the local little league team.

The electrical measuring instruments that embody our core business are critical in the development of science, technology, and infrastructure, and we believe that demand for them will only grow in the future.

As we strive to become a truly global company, we will work tirelessly to foster progress in those instruments, which play an essential role worldwide, and to enrich human lifestyles. We understand that there are no shortcuts on the path to achieving our mission of playing an essential role in society. Going forward, each and every employee will do their job with humility, honest, and straightforward dedication so that we can continue to create exceptional products.

I look forward to your support and encouragement as we pursue that mission.