Dear Sirs and Madams,
　Sometimes I purchase prints, oil paintings and Japanese paintings. I hear that these days young entrepreneurs are purchasing paintings for the purpose of investment, yet that is irrelevant to me. I only desire to hang those on white walls of offices and factories of my company. It is rather large, so I can hang paintings that have sizes about 63 to 101 inches (one side).
　Some customers who visit our factories ask a commemorating photograph in front of the paintings, which makes me really happy.
　The recent painting that I purchased was titled "Moonlit Sounion" by Masayuki Murai, who received the Minister of Education Award, the best prize in Japanese paintings this year. It is depicting the Temples of Poseidon in Cape Sounion in Greece. Mr. Murai says that it is the compilation of his blues, and the purchase was only possible after a year of negotiation.
　At my home there are several paintings that my father left thirty-some years ago. They are of those now well-known painters who already passed away. They were in obscurity when my father purchased them. I take off my hat to his eyes.

　The first print that I bought by loan after I got married was a small one by Joan Miro. It was hung on the wall of a living room of a small apartment. I was very discouraged by the current price which is not very different from the one which I paid.

　The truth is that painting is the area of my wife, and our children even gave her paint material for her 60th birthday. It doesn't seem that she has time to dedicate herself in painting. Yet her hobby of visiting museums of the west and east of Japan is a professional level. She is always watching "Sunday Museum" on NHK every week.

　A Saturday 12 years ago in November, I visited galleries day and night in Ginza, Tokyo, while cold autumn winds were blasting. At that time there were 500 galleries in Ginza, now it has declined to 300. I had an opportunity to visit a small auction in the late afternoon. The feature of that day was Takashi Murakami, who is known for collaborating with Louis Vuitton. Agents for Paris and New York were competing and holding telephones to the end.

　The one that I purchased was one that I encountered at a small gallery the first time in the morning. After visiting 40 other galleries, I came back to the first one. It was a mysterious encounter for me. Some people say that paintings that you encounter are karmic, and I agree.

　The title was "Phoenix" by the deceased Kenji Yoshioka, and it is hung on the wall of Marinfood Tokyo Branch. It was the symbol of the business plan for the coming year. Later on, I have some collaboration between paintings I purchased and the business plans. It is mysteriously matching.

　Now being the end of the year, I wondered how it all went. When I looked back, I am struck with the feeling that a year had passed with a gust of wind to disappear far and forever away.

　I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone for the past year. I apologize for my rare correspondence and I wish that everyone and their families will welcome in a new year, filled with hope and dreams. I would like to finish my greeting with the 11 biggest news events of the year.