At the end of last year, we visited Wakura Onsen in Noto for a two-day company trip.
It was for the first time in four years and the hotel we stayed at was called "Noto Raku. Just two weeks later, on New Year's Day, the entire Noto Peninsula, including the hotel where we stayed, was hit by a major earthquake that killed many people and destroyed many homes.
It was pure coincidence that we chose the Noto Peninsula as our travel destination but afterwards it felt like we were meant to be there, and it became an unforgettable memory to me.
I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the hotel employees who greeted us warmly and to the many people who were affected by the earthquake. At the same time, I sincerely wish that the hotel will reopen for business as soon as possible to be crowded with tourists again.
As mentioned in the title, I will be retiring from the company this term and passing the torch to the next generation.
I joined Box One Corporation at the age of 35 when it was founded in 1989 and will be retiring this year after 35 years of service. It means that I have spent exactly half of my life at the company.
I am proud of all the team members who worked together and successfully managed to overcome every unforeseen hardship we faced, such as the bubble collapse, the Lehman Shock, great earthquakes, and the coronavirus pandemic, and I treasure the time we spent together as a team.
Here are a couple of messages I want to pass on to the next generation. Always practice humility at work. Enjoy your work as much as possible. And be mindful of people around you and work side by side with each other. Never forget.
I look forward to your continued success in the future.
Thank you very much for supporting my 35 years of service.
April 1, 2024
CEOEtsuo Toyoda