MHI Holds Ceremony Welcoming New Employees for 2015

Mr. Miyanaga began by presenting an overview of MHI. He related how the company traces its origins to 1870, the year when Yataro Iwasaki founded a firm known as Tsukumo Shokai. Company operations got under way on full scale, however, in 1884 with the establishment of the Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works. In the 131 years since then, MHI, together with its more than 300 group companies in Japan and worldwide, has consistently conducted business with a firmly embraced mission to contribute to social and industrial development.

Mr. Miyanaga then introduced some of the company's most recent achievements: namely, its receipt of an order for a systems package for the Doha Metro, a new urban transport system - one of the largest projects of its kind in the world – being constructed in the State of Qatar; and MHI's winning of an order from the United Kingdom for game-changing offshore wind power generation equipment that will feature the world's largest power output. In addition, Mr. Miyanaga related how the MRJ (Mitsubishi Regional Jet), which will be Japan's very first passenger jet, was rolled out last October and is now scheduled to undertake its first flight in this year towards first delivery in 2017. With pride and enthusiasm he told his new recruits that the company is moving steadily forward toward the successful launch of this exciting new business.

The President next shifted focus to explaining how the MHI Group today is pursuing new strategies and initiatives outside its conventional framework. He noted that April 1st marked the very first day of MHI's new Medium-Term Business Plan, a three-year plan designed to transform MHI into a highly profitable company with a business scale of 5 trillion yen. Among the measures being pursued under the new business plan is a program of management process reforms. Representative reforms include a shift to business operations conducted swiftly and autonomously under a framework of business units having clearly defined responsibilities and authority, and the introduction of strategic evaluations, under which business operations will be evaluated and managed according to how their earnings measure up against prescribed guidelines.

Mr. Miyanaga next described how the company is reforming its organizational structure, telling his new employees how MHI has consolidated and reorganized its former nine business segments into its current four business domains: Energy & Environment; Commercial Aviation & Transportation Systems; Integrated Defense & Space Systems; and Machinery, Equipment & Infrastructure. Within these newly enlarged categories, he explained how personnel, capital and other company assets will be preferentially allocated so as to achieve optimal growth. Another new initiative being advanced by MHI today is a growth policy that calls for MHI to proactively collaborate with other companies and acquire other businesses.

The star achievement in this respect, Mr. Miyanaga pointed out, is the establishment last year of Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd., a joint venture with Hitachi, Ltd. targeted at becoming a world leader in the area of thermal power generation systems. In a similar vein, the President described how MHI has joined forces with Siemens of Germany in the metals industry in a quest to enhance its product lineup and strengthen its related service capabilities. He also described how MHI, in conjunction with its 130th anniversary, today is undertaking a broad palette of activities to promote more active participation by females and greater diversity.

Mr. Miyanaga next spoke of MHI's sense of values. He introduced the new recruits to the company's Corporate Identity statement: "Our Technologies, Your Tomorrow." "These words reflect our strong aspiration to be a company that continuously contributes to the realization of a sustainable society on global scale through corporate activities of global scale focused on the Earth's environment," he told them. And he described how MHI, as a manufacturing firm, seeks to use its technological expertise and strength in engineering to solve the many issues the world currently faces, in order to make people's dreams and wishes come true in exciting ways.

Next, the President introduced his new employees to MHI's corporate creed, which consists of three commitments. The first is: "We strongly believe that the customer comes first and that we are obligated to be an innovative partner to society." In this regard, Mr. Miyanaga said that all MHI employees should take pride in, and gain fulfillment from, responding to customers' needs and contributing to social progress. Second: "We base our activities on honesty, harmony, and a clear distinction between public and private life." In this context, the President emphasized the company's commitment to proactively carry out its social responsibilities by pursuing greater transparency in its business operations and adhering strictly to rules of compliance. Third: "We shall strive for innovative management and technological development from an international perspective." Here, Mr. Miyanaga said that the MHI Group's mission is to continuously strive to maintain its management and technological strengths at the world's highest levels, to help Japan be a technologically driven nation; and he added that now, more than ever, is the time for all employees to work together to put this commitment into practice.

Finally, the President described how the new employees should prepare themselves for taking up their new jobs. To begin, he encouraged them to be good members of the company and good members of society worthy of global respect. By devoting their energies to their work and always being attentive to the customer and fellow workers, Mr. Miyanaga offered, their worlds would expand and grow more profound. He also exhorted them to continue studying English so that they can communicate with people around the world. Second, Mr. Miyanaga encouraged the new recruits to become professionals of astute depth. He said that true professionals have a deep understanding of their work and perform their duties faithfully and with attention to detail – factors that, once they become routine, enable the ongoing acquisition of experience as their jobs become increasingly more profound, expansive and complex. The President further encouraged his new charges, besides acquiring special knowledge, to enhance their leadership capabilities, to become professionals who are trusted and respected. Lastly, Mr. Miyanaga advised the new recruits to pursue healthy lives in both body and mind. By paying attention to both of these aspects of life, the President exhorted them to seek out well-balanced professional lives.

President Shunichi Miyanaga welcomes new employees at the ceremony.