Toward "Golden 2013"

In 2009 I issued the "sunflower marketing" declaration and shifted to the implementation of Ongen Publishing's management strategy of going on the offensive while consolidating our defense.

I want us to be like a sunflower, always blossoming in the direction of the sun. If Senka 21 is the stem of the sunflower, then Phile-web, which brings together more than a million audio and visual equipment fans, is the seeds and our all-color media and new projects are the petals. Although we are facing a severe business environment, I have untiringly implemented and promoted this sunflower marketing management toward the realization of our corporate philosophy of "contributing to the constructive development of the industry."

Around last fall the effects became evident in the form of enthusiastic support from readers, messages of strong agreement from business circles, and the spreading practice of co-existence and co-prosperity. This trend is still gathering momentum. Let me give you a brief summary.

(a) The power of Phile-web readers and its steady expansion and consolidation: The Japanese site of the IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) consumer electronics trade fair, which is operated from Phile-web, has become widely recognized.

(b) The all-colorization of all of our magazines, implemented in 2007, has been completely accepted and very highly appraised.

(c) We have realized robust collaboration with leading retail stores and have organized in-store events, free papers, and other attractions directly linked to sales. Our strong relations of trust with specialty stores and installers are evolving in the direction of further tie-ups.

(d) Our sales-linked awards, such as the Audio Excellence Award, Visual Grand Prix, Digital Camera Grand Prix, and Home Theater Grand Prix, are becoming increasingly authoritative and recognized by distribution circles and users.

(e) Audio division activities: The all-color effect of our magazines revolutionized the old format of audio journals and has become an unshakable power in the audio business, from pure audio and analog to audio accessories, cables, and network audio.

(f) Building a communication system with readers and users: By organizing our own thank-you reader parties and actively participating in high-end shows, the "Ototen" audio and home theater fair in Akihabara, and so on, we have endeavored to boost communication with users, and we are utilizing direct messages from readers as the power source of our magazine production.

By connecting with measures implemented in the past, the sunflower marketing strategy that we put into practice in 2009 created enormous power in our company and grew as infrastructure of the industry, including human resources. This shows that the members of Ongen Publishing can contribute, from their respective positions, to the development of the industry and to the development of individual companies involved in the industry. As we move toward fiscal 2010, in accordance with a time frame, I hope that we can utilize this infrastructure effectively and link it to the prosperity of the industry.

And this year I am proposing my "golden 2013" theory. At the moment the economic situation is very difficult, but I want us to march through fiscal 2010 modestly, steadily, and positively with an approach of "tomorrow's today" based on the belief that we will enter a golden period of growth from 2013. My belief that we can only develop together with the development of the industry as a whole has remained completely unchanged throughout my life of more than four decades in the business.

Receiving strength from you all, I intend to do my utmost to achieve development together with you. Those are my thoughts at the start of fiscal 2010.