Greetings from President & CEO, Shinichi Inoue
To the World Expo!
Building a bright future for Japan

Happy New Year. Thank you for choosing to fly with ANA again this year.

 This April marks the highly anticipated opening of the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. With the vision of creating "Uniting the World in Wonder" the ANA Group has been undertaking various efforts to live up to the Expo's theme, "Designing Future Society for Our Lives." Initiatives include the launch of the specially designed EXPO2025 ANA JET last December.

 Personally, I'm among the many people eagerly looking forward to the Expo, particularly due to my history with the event. Back in 1970, as a sixth grader, I visited Expo 1970 held in the Senri Hills area of Osaka. Traveling from Kanagawa Prefecture to Osaka with my parents, I experienced my first ride on the Shinkansen—a thrilling milestone. At that time, 25 years after the end of the war, Japan was experiencing a period of rapid economic growth, even becoming the world's second-largest economy after the United States. Expo 1970 was held during this era of nationwide excitement and hope for the future.

 As we approached the venue, the massive Tower of the Sun loomed before us, taking my breath away. My father explained that the tower has three faces: the radiant Golden Mask symbolizing the future, the Face of the Sun representing the present with an expression that could be seen as anguished, and the Black Sun, symbolizing the past. The impact of seeing it remains imprinted on my mind to this day. More than just a decoration, the tower carried a profound message: Japan's journey from a dark past to a golden future, a sentiment that resonated deeply with me.

 It was also at this Expo that I encountered people from other countries for the first time. At the various national pavilions, people with all colors of eyes, hair, and skin, dressed in the traditional attire of their cultures, welcomed us in their native languages. Although I couldn't understand their words, their smiles and vibrant energy spoke directly to my heart, sparking a longing to explore the world I'd never seen. I now realize that this experience shaped the foundation of who I am today.

 The impact of Expo 1970 on me as an elementary school student was immeasurable. World Expos are venues for people from nations across the globe to gather and share their visions of the future, creating an invigorating aura of international exchange and exploration that can only be felt by attending in person.

 I trust that Expo 2025 will inspire curiosity for the world and hope for the future in the young people shaping our tomorrow, just as it once did for me. While times may change, a fundamental truth remains: the future is something we create. ANA is eager to play our part in this journey.

 As we enter the Year of the Snake, which symbolizes prosperity and growth, we renew our commitment to working together to make this year one of health, abundance, and success for all.

 From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all a year full of joy.