Message from the President

First, we at Nikon would like to express our profound sympathy for all the people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011.

Nikon Group experienced significant damage at manufacturing facilities, but after much hard work we were able to resume operations before the end of March. In this effort, we are very much obliged for the cooperation of the many organizations and people who were kind enough to extend their full support to our Company. We also received many wonderful and moving messages of encouragement from around the world. I was deeply impressed by the sincere kindness, support and care all these people offered, as well as the dedication and power of our colleagues, who restored operations to normal in such a short time.

As a manufacturer, it's our mission to create a reliable supply of excellent, attractive products and services. At the same time, a company is expected to grow while continually promoting its businesses. Today, Nikon must perform faster than ever before. Such speed is necessary in every Nikon business segment. The Precision Equipment Company aims to continue as a pioneer in the field of IC/LCD steppers and scanners; the Imaging Company must maintain leadership in the digital camera industry; and the Instruments Company, as always, should effectively respond to the wide array of requirements in that industry. Nikon can sustain its growth by discerning customers' needs faster, and taking appropriate actions swiftly.

In addition, Nikon continues to explore other areas of business, innovating solutions for social issues such as health and medical treatment, the environment and energy. This will not only improve people's lives — it will also give birth to new bases of business for the Company. Creating a completely new market offers tremendous possibilities for Nikon to reinforce its corporate foundations. Nikon will continue to use its advanced technologies to build more comfortable, enjoyable lives for people throughout the world.

Nikon is a global company with more than 85% of net sales outside of Japan. Nikon's operations are truly worldwide, from production and marketing to R&D activities. Each corporate operation is closely related to social concerns such as the environment, human rights, and compliance. Nikon believes in being a responsible corporate citizen, addressing these issues and earning the confidence of people everywhere. We want Nikon to be a corporation that is always growing with society, providing new value as we move into the future. To this end, our people, including myself, will continue our utmost efforts. We ask for your kind support as we work harder to create better products that contribute to society.