Sanpo-yoshi Communication
Sanpo-yoshi Communication
President's Column] Happy New Year!
We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your patronage and kindness last year and ask for your continued guidance and encouragement in the new year.
From the first half of last year through early fall, we were at the mercy of the pandemic, but after the state of emergency was lifted, we were able to see a glimmer of hope in the latter half of the year. However, infection rates remained high in countries outside Japan, and the emergence of the Omicron variant caused temporary turmoil in the stock markets. Although the situation remains uncertain and the outlook is unclear, various price increases—driven by factors such as soaring crude oil prices—are inevitable. We expect supply shortages and price hikes across various sectors to continue, including factory shutdowns due to power shortages in China, as well as delays in international logistics and soaring logistics costs caused by a shortage of shipping containers.
In the packaging and printing sectors as well, prices for various materials, auxiliary supplies, and the products themselves continue to rise, and we are engaged in ongoing negotiations with our suppliers. We have also instructed our sales staff to make proposals that take our customers’ perspectives into account.
Nevertheless, although it pains us greatly, we find ourselves in a situation where we have no choice but to raise the prices of some of our products and merchandise going forward. We sincerely appreciate your understanding.
That said, I believe it is certain that the full-scale recovery of economic activity will reignite the labor shortage issue, which will act as a drag on economic growth. After all, population decline—particularly in the working-age population—is the number one problem facing this country. Most recently, foreign trainees have been unable to enter the country due to COVID-19, and I imagine many companies are facing difficulties as a result. Even if the pandemic subsides and travel restrictions are lifted, under the current “technical intern” framework, we may lose out to neighboring countries such as South Korea.
It appears the government will revise the system as early as this year, which is expected to effectively give the green light to an immigration policy.
In any case, since we cannot rely solely on foreign workers to fill all positions, we have no choice but to improve the appeal of working for our company by enhancing wages, working conditions, and employee benefits, while also focusing on investments in digital transformation, automation, and labor-saving measures to streamline operations so we can manage with a smaller workforce.
It’s not my intention to talk about nothing but gloomy topics right at the start of the new year.
At the end of last year, I attended a lecture by Hideto Fujino, President of Leos Capital Works, the company that manages funds such as the “Hifumi Investment Trust.” The topic was “Delicious Japan.” It wasn’t about gourmet food. His point was that precisely because this is a country facing so many challenges, it’s full of opportunities. He explained that if you identify “gaps in society” and develop businesses to fill them, the opportunities are endless.
He explained various case studies, including startups that offer services allowing people to live in vacant homes for as long as they like.
I heard that most of the businesses developed through Recruit’s internal new business contest were built around the premise of resolving societal and customer “shortcomings.” Although we are facing a challenging economic environment, it is precisely for this reason that various “gaps” and “shortcomings” will continue to emerge. Understanding that there are endless business opportunities to fill these gaps has really lifted my spirits.
We are committed to working even harder than ever before so that we can be of assistance to you as you take on such challenges.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.
In closing, I sincerely hope that all of you and your families stay healthy and have a wonderful year.