In view of the dramatic changes taking place in our industry, I designated 2006 as the year of NTT Com's "second foundation" six years after its original founding. Given that customer- and market-oriented management and services are our top priorities, we have increased our focus on frontline empowerment, character quality and overall corporate strength for the purpose of improving marketing to enterprises, product delivery and maintenance capabilities."

Also in 2006, the NTT Communications Group formulated a medium term strategy for achieving new growth, called Business Vision 2010. We are now working closer than ever before with customers to create new value for them. The aim is to serve as their partner in bridging present and future potential. As a result of such initiatives, NTT Com can expect to maintain the public's trust as a communications provider, as well as help to create richer lifestyles characterized by greater convenience and security. We should remain a reliable partner that provides bridging solutions to customers, both companies and individuals.

In respect to the latter, the Internet has given rise to a rapid increase in the communication of information by individuals, who use SNS, blogs, personal websites and other virtual channels to express themselves. Purchasing patterns have also undergone a dramatic transformation due to the Internet, which has enabled e-commerce and instant price comparisons and made word-of-mouth communication nearly instantaneous.

In fact, consumers have been empowered with direct influence over the provision and flow of information, allowing individuals to play a decisive role in the market. This is why businesses have begun to think seriously about how to communicate with influential consumers who disseminate information, and how to more effectively harness the power of the Internet to reach consumers in a more timely and tailored fashion. Of course, information and communication technology (ICT) will play a crucial role in attaining these objectives. It is no exaggeration to say that ICT has become a cornerstone of business.

As for corporations, today's highly international business world means that many companies find themselves managing 24/7 global operations. This trend has given rise to a host of new needs and challenges in areas such as internal control, security and business continuity planning. There is a conspicuous need for companies to rethink their ICT strategies with the help of experts who can provide one-stop, all-inclusive global consulting. No less is the need for comprehensive outsourcing of networks and data centers, including server hosting.

Going forward, we will emphasize our role as an ICT solutions partner by consulting customers on how to meet their enterprise challenges through information and communications technology. This will include, in addition to IP-VPNs and other network services, diverse value-added services that combine hosting, IT outsourcing and on-demand features in a seamless, one-stop global package. We also aim to develop a global operations standard that guarantees the high quality customers have come to expect from us.

In addition we are leveraging NTT Com Group's strength in Internet-based business, where we play a key role within our parent NTT Group. We are now developing new B2B2C business models by offering Internet platforms enhanced with advanced search engines, which enterprises can use to provide general consumers with commercial services, such as online shopping.

By accurately matching the needs of businesses and consumers, we look forward to developing tailored solutions that enable online proprietors to develop business models and meet business objectives with information and communications technology.