As we approach our 100th anniversary in 2035, our goal is to see TDK become indispensable to society. While the products created from our technologies are seldom directly visible to the everyday consumer, many have been the core electronic component for a diverse collection of products across a vast range of fields.
Many of our capacitors and magnetic products are found in xEVs, which are growing in popularity worldwide. Our products are also incorporated into everyday life and public infrastructures, proliferating worldwide in smartphones, smart watches, wireless earphones, solar and wind power generation, and innumerable other examples. They offer unlimited possibilities, with technologies and products being utilized in applications that were inconceivable just a few years ago. Without TDK's technologies and products, our customers' products would not work, and society would cease to function; because of TDK, people can live enjoyable, fulfilling lives: That is the kind of bedrock presence we want to become.
Going forward, a variety of advanced technologies will make our society more convenient and efficient, and restrictions based on time or distance will be fewer. That said, we cannot deny the possibility of economic disparity widening among those who are unable to benefit from such technological developments or in regions where the impact of climate change is particularly severe. The question, then, is what TDK can do to address these issues. While our Sustainability Vision calls for “Technology for the well-being of all people,” I believe “well-being” is a state in which people from all walks of life can live vibrant, happy lives and are free to take on any number of positive challenges. And it is crucial that each individual be able to envision a bright future.
In the Analects, Confucius said, “The superior man seeks righteousness; the worthless man seeks benefit.” The meaning is that a virtuous person acts first by considering whether or not the action is just, while a non-virtuous person thinks first of loss or gain. I have developed my own interpretation: profit will follow from the pursuit of righteousness, not the other way around. Applied to TDK, this translates to focusing on refining―then providing products based on―technological strengths that will contribute to a sustainable society. As a result, social issues will move toward resolutions, and the economy and society will flourish, which will lead to TDK's own growth―positioning us to become an indispensable existence in society. This is how TDK will pursue the well-being of all people in society and how I would like us to continue working together as TDK United to take on these challenges.