Commitment From the Top

An age of drastic changes

We have faced many crises and hardships in the years since our foundation. Among these difficulties, the decreased demand for photo films, which began in 2000 with the development of digital media, shook the foundations of our business. In response to these changes, we formulated our medium-term management plan VISION 75 in 2004 to implement drastic structural reforms while carefully selecting and integrating our resources. As a result, we were able to achieve the highest ever consolidated sales (2.846 trillion yen) and operating income (207.3 billion yen) in fiscal 2007. After this v-shaped recovery, however, just before we were starting to boost our sales, the world went into an economic recession. Moreover, the threat of the new flu pandemic has become a reality. We are indeed living in an age of drastic changes.

Nobody expected that the state of the socioeconomic environment surrounding us would become so serious across the world. A lot of countries and companies, including ourselves, are now faced with an economic depression, and we cannot make any easy predictions about the future economic situation or about how people’s behavior as consumers will change.

Calmly understanding the situation and decisively moving forward to achieve creative results

In my message in the previous sustainability report, I said, “We thrive on change. To meet the challenges of changing times, we adapt and innovate. Responding to the expectations of society and creating connections to the future are the fundamental principles of our corporate management.” I am therefore not discouraged in the face of the drastic changes being made to our business environment. What is important is to think calmly, analyze, and reflect deeply on what we should do now and how to change ourselves for the future. We must be courageous and decisive and fully resolved to implement our decisions. We are committed to doing this, and I am determined to manage our company in a manner that makes it possible for us to proactively plant the seeds of creativity, nurture them, and finally harvest the fruits.

Bravely taking on challenges

There must be many people who are concerned about the present socioeconomic situation. However, people, societies and times are constantly changing. The present situation will also change and become a part of history. We must not allow ourselves to become too preoccupied by the present situation, as this will not produce good results. Based on our past achievements, we are bravely taking on challenges aimed at the future. In the field of flat panel display materials, which we have positioned as a growth field, we are decisively making integrated investments of resources. In the business field of medical and life sciences, we are taking on new challenges based on the three concepts, “Life Imaging/Information,” “Life Cure/Care,” and “Life Safety/Security.”

For example, we have stepped into the field of “Life Cure/ Care” by beginning the sale of healthcare cosmetics and nutritional supplements. We are also challenging the “Life Safety/ Security” field by including Toyama Chemical in the Fujifilm Group to pioneer new possibilities in the medical field. In our document solutions business led by Fuji Xerox, business innovation activities started in fiscal 2008 have been favorably progressing, and a new base integrating R&D will start operation in 2010. In addition, we are strengthening our market position in the field of optical devices, as represented by our satellite optical lenses mounted on the pioneering lunar orbit satellite KAGUYA (SELENE). We are thus taking on various challenges amid the changes and constantly transforming ourselves.

Setting and achieving targets to pave a way into the future

To be sustainable, we need to look positively toward the future. The future comes to everybody, and we must all be ready to face it. Amid the current socioeconomic climate, said to occur only once a century, we must turn our thoughts to what we should study and how we should act. It is vital that we gain a firm comprehension of the actual situation and fulfill our social responsibilities to future generations. I believe that, as a going concern, we must set and achieve our targets for the future, in the face of the drastic changes.