Message for the New Year

Happy New Year!

It is 2025, a quarter of a century into the 21st century. With the reflections on the two world wars of the 20th century and the release of the tensions of the Cold War between the major powers, it was hoped that the 21st century would see the spread of universal values throughout the world, the advancement of globalization, and the formation of a multipolar international order with the United Nations and other international organizations playing a central role.

In reality, however, international organizations have been unable to restore order to the war-torn spread in Europe and the Middle East. In addition, a situation has emerged in the United States where the public supports the push for a de-globalized protectionist policy. And dissatisfaction with the current administration is erupting in major European countries such as Britain, France, and Germany, as well as in Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, and India.

Behind this situation lies the widening wealth gap and the sense of despair among the masses who have no way out of poverty. In a world where the Corona disaster has ended, the economic burden of inflation is increasing. For many indebted masses accustomed to a world without interest rates, the transition to a world with interest rates will make their lives even more difficult due to the interest burden on their debts. By bravely and irresponsibly proclaiming “hope that cannot be promised” to such masses, popular support for the far right and far left is also growing.

A society will decline if it becomes a place where people think only as long as they are happy with themselves and their own country. No man can live alone, and no country can survive on its own. Every country has value. Every person has value. By recognizing each other's value, sharing it, and utilizing it, society as a whole will develop.

The Internet, invented in the 20th century, became a part of people's lives in the 21st century as broadband communications spread, transforming it into a social infrastructure similar to gas and electricity. Computers invented in the 20th century grew exponentially in computational speed, and AI, which began to spread in the 21st century, evolved into general-purpose AI (AGI; Artificial General Intelligence) with self-learning capabilities.

I live in San Francisco, where self-driving cabs are common. These days, when I drive my “car,” it is almost always self-driving. I set my destination and the car takes me there almost by itself. However, if I fall asleep at the wheel, the car will tell me "watch forward" and scold me. It is not as if a person is giving instructions to the car and letting it drive, but as if there is a person in the car being monitored and instructed by the car. A society in which AGI is connected to an increasingly sophisticated communications infrastructure is bound to change the conventions with which we have been living.

We in the UNIVA Group have companies in various business sectors, including yours. Changes in society, both political and economic, as well as technological innovations, will affect our respective business environments.

To take advantage of such changes and grow our business, we need various kinds of wisdom = knowledge.

You have your own knowledge.
NAKAMA in your company has another knowledge.
NAKAMA in our group companies, has other knowledge.

In order to take advantage of changes in the environment, I urge you to integrate and co-create your intellectual capital (knowledge capital) and grow yourself.

The growth of your human capital will grow the business you are engaged in and the UNIVA Group as a whole.

This year is the Year of the Snake. The snake is said to be a symbol of rebirth and resurrection because of its repeated shedding of its skin. The snake is also a lucky charm that brings good luck for money.

Let this year, the Year of the Snake, be a year of rebirth, revival, and rising financial capital for the group and for each company.

Let us work together this year!

UNIVA Group
Chairman and Group CEO
Shuji Inaba