I take great pleasure in informing you that, effective April 1, 2009, I take office as the new president and chief executive officer of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. I would like to share with you some of my thoughts on this occasion.

Economic conditions at the start of 2009 have been extremely challenging. A credit crunch triggered by the global financial crisis since last year has caused a major downturn in the real economy. The recession has been advancing at an unprecedented pace, and the outlook is becoming increasingly uncertain. As Mitsui & Co.’s new president, I am determined to bring the company through the present adversity as quickly as possible by uniting the efforts of all the employees to control short-term risks and build the foundations for the next phase of long-term growth to satisfy our customers’ needs.

Mitsui & Co. has a long history, and one of the legacies of our history is condensed in the familiar expression “Mitsui is People”. I place great importance on the implications of this expression. It reflects our strong commitment to human resources development, and our ability to produce talented people who can provide a high level of professional services to our wide range of customers throughout the world. In the pursuit of various measures to globalize our human resources, I regard the sustained commitment to quality people as both the cornerstone and means to fulfill our mission to society.

In order for Mitsui & Co. to maintain its legacy and continue to earn the respect of society, we will ensure that we are worthy of respect as individuals. That is why we are committed to the enhancement of the quality of individuals through human resources development. This is not simply a matter of acquiring the skills and knowledge required for our jobs. The goal is to achieve balanced improvement of skills and those mental aspects such as a sense of ethics and a commitment to self-development that heighten the value of our contributions to our stakeholders.

Another key element of Mitsui & Co.’s corporate tradition is an open-minded culture. I believe that communication is the essential driving force to create and maintain an open and candid corporate culture where people work confidently, even during a time of adversity, motivated by lofty professional aspirations. One of my priorities is to enhance the level of both our personal and professional value through close communication with a diverse group of people. I will do my best to increase opportunities for close communication with our customers and other stakeholders as well.

Given the significantly changing social and economic environment in which we do business, Mitsui & Co. is committed to being a company that grows with our customers and partners. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation for your patronage and hope that you will extend to us your continued understanding and support.

Yours sincerely,