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11
NIKON CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2012
considering such areas as “inspection systems in
the diagnostic field” and “products that contribute
to quality of life (QOL) enhancement for the elderly.”
Our plan calls for entry into the new business within
three to five years.
Under the second core item in the Medium Term
Management Plan—“realizing robust corporate
characteristics by enhancing business functions and
reforming operational processes”—we are focusing
on processes not only in development and design,
as we aim to transform Nikon into a corporate group
that does not miss opportunities. We are working to
reinforce Group-wide business functions, including
shortening production lead times, overhauling
the processes and management methods used in
development and design, and improving the decision-
making process within sales. Furthermore, as
production and sales expand globally, we recognize
the importance of human resources in overseas
business development and are prioritizing the
establishment of a solid foundation.
What message do you have for investors with
regard to corporate governance?
An essential part of corporate governance is
improving transparency. At Nikon, to ensure
transparency we implement reliable internal control
measures, including the receipt of a written pledge
every year from all management-level personnel
based on the internal control reporting provisions of
the Japanese Financial Instruments and Exchange
Law (J-SOX). With regard to compliance too, we
are establishing a system specifically designed
to enable senior management to receive negative
information expeditiously. We believe that the
practice of sound corporate governance is our duty
to customers who place their trust in us. Hence, our
efforts are not limited to organizational systems,
but also include the nurturing of a corporate
culture that does not tolerate dishonesty.
In closing, are there any other points you wish
to convey to shareholders and investors?
Following the damage we sustained from the
Great East Japan Earthquake and the flooding in
Thailand, we received messages of encouragement
and a variety of support from many people and
organizations, and I wish to take this opportunity
to once again communicate my heartfelt gratitude.
I believe that our ability to recover more quickly
than initially expected is, in a sense, indicative of the
strength of Nikon.
Over the next three years, we want to express,
through our results, the goal of sustainable growth.
Achieving our targets for the fiscal year ending
March 2013 will be, in a sense, an important first
litmus test. By steadily executing the Medium Term
Management Plan and reaching a higher level of
profitability, we will strive to raise our total return
ratio. I look forward to the ongoing support of all our
stakeholders in these endeavors.
INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT
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201020092008 2011 2012
■ Annual Cash Dividends
(Left scale)
Total Return Ratio
(Right scale)
(Yen) (%)
Annual Cash Dividends and
Total Return Ratio
Years ended March 31