We have aimed at growth by challenging development of new technology boldly since establishment, reforming the contents of business fields greatly. In the economy and technology changing and progressing every moment, we are aiming at realization of a ''Value Creation Enterprise'' by development and marketing new products from a global viewpoint, using our original core technologies such as organic synthesis, micro-particle control and high-performance polymers.

Our main business fields consist of chemicals, agricultural chemicals and pharmaceuticals. In the chemicals filed, our unique electronic materials line up such as SUNEVER (polyimide for LCD alignment coatings), ARC (anti-reflective coating for semiconductors) and SNOWTEX (colloidal silica sol) are accelerating growth. In order to make this growth maintain, not only the development of next-generation but entering into related area is our strategy to just tackle market cultivation and research and development. In the agricultural chemicals field, our own products for both domestic and export markets have contributed to agricultural output in the world greatly. In order to attain the goal of a stable world food supply with environmentally safe agriculture, we are seriously involved in the search for and development of new agrochemical for the world's major crops. In the pharmaceuticals field, we have developed an anti-inflammatory analgesic and an anti-hypertensive agent as a comparatively new business area. We have a series of candidate products in the pipeline, out of these our promising anti-hyperlipemic agent "NK-104" is expected to be launched for domestic market in this year.

For realization of true "Value Creation Enterprise", we have also positioned a group business corporation, system of the transparency of management and consideration of environment as our core subject. For example, about an environmental issue, we set "primary policy of environment and safety" (the present "Responsible Care Primary Policy") in 1992. Since then, responsible care activities have been promoted such as lessening a waste product as much as possible, a trial to recycling, continuous capitalization to energy saving, etc.

Current economy is in the stream of a big revolution globally. Under such a condition, we believe that corporate governance should take into account the interests of a wide range of stakeholders including shareholders, customers, employees and local communities. I would like to express my appreciation for the continued understanding and support.