Today, each of you has taken his or her first step into the world as a member of Hitachi Cable. I look forward to seeing your achievements as you apply the knowledge and experience you've already gained, together with your youth and vitality.

Today, due to issues related to subprime loans and rising crude-materials prices, it has suddenly become difficult to predict the prospects for the world economy. With corporate entities competing at nearly unimaginable intensity and speed, Hitachi Cable expects to post sales of 555 billion yen and ordinary income of 22 billion yen for the fiscal 2008 year, thanks to efforts to create new products and technologies, reinforce its sales capabilities, and expand overseas operations. Hitachi Cable continues to work to achieve further improvements in its business performance.

We positioned the fiscal 2007 year, which marked the 50th anniversary of our spin-off from Hitachi, Ltd., as the "Year of Our Second Foundation". In that year, we also established a new corporate vision: "Empowering Energy & Communication." Hitachi Cable contributes to society through a broad array of products, including wires and cables, drawing on communication technologies for transmitting energy and information, etc. From today on, it is my hope that all of you will dedicate yourselves to our work, as a single entity, while taking this corporate vision to heart.

I have two expectations to set before you, our new associates brimming with high hopes. The first is that you will make every effort to enjoy the first job you've been assigned. Devoting every effort to your duties is of singular importance. True enjoyment of work comes only through diligent work on the tasks you've been assigned. I also ask that each of you seek to gain a broad range of experience in various jobs and roles, drawing on opportunities such as job rotations or the in-house "free agent" system.

Secondly, I hope each of you will continue to embody the spirit that seeks out and confronts challenges without fear of failure. We have much to learn from our mistakes. To learn the most from your brushes with failure, I ask each of you to develop the habit of focused independent thinking, while at the same time consulting with your superiors and the colleagues around you. This goal is communicated in the founding ideals of the Hitachi Group-harmony, sincerity, and pioneering spirit.

Life becomes very busy when you enter the working world as a productive member of society. Nevertheless, I hope that each of you will find more to do with your world than simply bury yourselves in the world of work. I hope you will acclimate yourself to your duties at a comfortable pace-never relenting, but avoiding needless stress, while still having enjoyable conversations with the colleagues joining the company with you today as well as the friends you have made in the past, and occasionally having heart-to-heart talks about any difficulties you may encounter.

I look forward to seeing you grow as professionals. Take joy in your work and never lose your eager outlook and energy.

The induction ceremony for new Hitachi Cable associates was held at the Hitaka Works in Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture, on April 1, 2008.

Number of new graduates hired in the past three years (career track)

	University graduates			Holders of post-graduate degrees (figures in parentheses indicate numbers of PhD holders)			Total
	Clerical staff	Engineers	Total	Clerical staff	Engineers	Total	Clerical staff	Engineers	Total
Fiscal 2007	13	12	25	1	17	18	14	29	43
Fiscal 2008	18	8	26	2	22 (2)	24	20	30	50
Fiscal 2009	24	10	34	0	35 (1)	35	24	45	69