On April 1, NYK held a ceremony at its head office in Tokyo to welcome 54 employees joining the company immediately after completing their tertiary education and one employee joining the company in mid-career. Below is a brief translation of the address provided by NYK president Tadaaki Naito to the new staff members.

“Congratulations on joining as new members of NYK. I sincerely welcome you all on behalf of the company. As you all take this first step in your career, I would like to say a few words to you as a senior member of the company.

“This year, NYK will celebrate its 134th year of business. NYK has flexibly adjusted its business for diversity and globalization. There are 897 NYK affiliated companies over the world, and the composition of the NYK Group employees has changed to be only 20 percent of Japanese office workers and under 15 percent if including seafarers. NYK Group companies overseas are now the backbone of the Group, and you will work together with colleagues who have diverse nationalities and cultural backgrounds.

“When you work in such environments, communication skills become very important. The shipping and logistics business concerns not only the transport of cargo but also the transfer of information. Providing clear, accurate information and grasping what others truly mean are very important skills to keep work flowing smoothly.

“It is known that there are two types of communication: verbal and non-verbal. Verbal requires the speaker to select words carefully and inform others logically about various matters, and understand different backgrounds. Non-verbal communication is equally as important as verbal, and can be used to appeal to others with your personal magnetism and establish friendly relationships. When you have many options in mind from which you can direct a discussion, you can add depth to your communication. Please practice your communication skills by emphasizing both logical and appealing aspects.

“To elaborate on such communication skills, I sincerely hope that you have a sense of curiosity about things that you encounter. Please try to accumulate a variety of knowledge and experiences and make a “practice” of considering deeply by yourself the essence of any information. This habit can reward you with skills of observation and insightful acumen that can benefit your career in the future.

“Finally, I want to introduce a famous passage by Iwasaki Yataro, the company’s founder: ‘If we provide one ship, it will bring more convenience to the world, and the profit will benefit many people.” Of course, NYK pursues profits as a profitable company, but our business is also to support society and life. I think Iwasaki’s words help us to realize the NYK Group’s significance and social mission. I hope that you keep his words in mind as you take on the challenge to fulfil this mission.

“You are to build the next generation of the NYK Group. Please keep your mind fresh and maintain your vitality and brilliance so that we can do our best together from today onwards.”