With the global spotlight increasingly falling on the issues of energy and the environment, slowing domestic demand and growing globalization of the energy sector have led to increasingly sharp changes affecting the social and economic environment. Set against this backdrop, here at Hokusho Corporation we celebrated the 40th anniversary of our founding in 2008.

This milestone provides the perfect opportunity for us to consider the new era of energy we are moving in to, and what role Hokusho can expect to play in this period. This means having to carefully examine the role we play at present and this yearfs landmark offers the ideal time to clarify what we - as a corporation active in the energy sector - intend to do on behalf of both our stakeholders and society as a whole.
Our new corporate slogan, gNew Energies for the Besth, was created to promote our role in this new and exciting era. The slogan represents the drive underlining our desire to realize our best. This drive - or energies - lies in the services, products, and systems we intend on providing to customers and society in order to move them in the right direction, and are based on the creative ability of each of our employees. It can be said that our corporate philosophy, gSales are based on our customers; our company is based on our employees,h passed down through Kichitaro Hagiwara, the President of our previous parent company - the former Hokkaido Colliery & Steamship Co., Ltd. - forms our core, and that our corporate slogan, gNew Energies for the Besth forms the foundation of our current corporate structure.

Here at Hokusho Corporation, our work is already gathering speed. While continuing to provide safe and rapid delivery of traditional energy sources such as oil and LP gas, we have also started to make inroads into the new energy sector. Using the knowledge and experience cultivated by our Business Division, we are also creating new business opportunities including services in the welfare sector in anticipation of an increasingly aging Japanese society. We are also a company that does not overlook our corporate social responsibilities - such as our efforts in planting new forests. Here at Hokusho Corporation we are committed to remaining in touch with both our customers and society as a whole as we look to perform a fulfilling role in todayfs society. With this in mind I would like to ask all of our stakeholders for their continued support and custom as we continue to move from strength to strength.