Message1-Oct-22

[Message from Management]
Celebrating the "TSUBASA -GLOBAL WINGS-" Renewal

Thank you very much for flying with ANA. Thanks to your support, we're celebrating 70 years since our founding in December 2022.

In 1952, ANA's predecessor company, Japan Helicopter Transport, began operating as Japan's first private air transport company. After the end of World War II, aircraft operation by private companies was banned in Japan, and the country's air service business was in ruins for quite some time. Japan Helicopter Transport was established just two years after the ban lifted, with an aim to revive the scheduled air service business in the private sector.

We were a small company that started with two helicopters, but our 28 employees had big plans. Through a philosophy that values integrity, independence, and never yielding to outside influence, we've succeeded in our dream of taking to skies across the globe.

Since they were less expensive than passenger planes, we started our business with helicopters. At first, we took on every job we could, including express mail transportation, advertising leafleting and pesticide spraying. We also created new business models including emergency helicopter first aid response, media coverage and carrying freight between mountains, which are now commonplace. In this way, we created new sources of value in postwar Japan.

With these endeavors, our predecessors actually created what would be called a "venture company" today. ANA's origins were in distinct ventures, or in other words, challenges.

Today's ANA is the result of a merger between three companies, by which a unique corporate culture was formed. While the complex personalities of these individuals, so-called "wild warriors," certainly clashed, they still maintained the mutual respect and bold ambition needed to overcome challenges.

This culture of respect for what is today known as DEI* has become an unshakeable value at ANA, offering us a significant advantage in surviving competitive environments of the future.

• DEI: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The ANA Group has inherited the DNA of its predecessors to embrace challenges throughout history. This came with a fair share of adversity over the years, most recently the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. and the Lehaman collapse. We have remained resilient and overcome these moments, while also achieving our long-standing goal of making international flights profitable and resuming dividend payments.

Some believe that these successes were because our strategies met the needs of the times. Of course, there is some truth in this, but I feel that it was not the only reason.

The economist P.F. Drucker once said, "Culture eats strategy for breakfast," meaning that the driving force behind business development is primarily cultural, rather than strategic. One so many occasions I've felt that ANA's corporate culture, which is directly linked to our DNA, has allowed us to succeed.

To pass on this culture formed over 70 years to the next generation, I would like to return to the venture spirit that characterized the company at the time of its founding. I hope every employee at the ANA Group will reach for the sky in their aspirations and dreams, kindling their passion and growing into individuals ready to fulfill meaningful roles.

Mr. Masuichi Midoro, the first president of the company, left us with the words, "Though we have seen dire straits, the future is promising." He was an inspiration to young employees when the company was founded, teaching them that despite hardships, if they worked tirelessly towards a bright future, prosperity would follow. Today, 70 years after its founding, ANA is in a similar situation to what Masuichi Midoro saw then. If he were here now, he would say, "Be the wild warriors of this generation!" or "Back to the venture spirit!"

Over its 62-year history, the magazine you are reading today, TSUBASA -GLOBAL WINGS-, has evolved from an in-flight magazine to a means of communicating ANA's culture. On the occasion of our 70th anniversary, we believe that this magazine connects ANA with its customers, and have made the decision to update the contents offered. We will continue to refine the ANA Group's corporate culture alongside the travelers who choose ANA, through the new TSUBASA -GLOBAL WINGS-.

Without our customers, our business would not succeed. If you have any thoughts on ANA you would like to share with us, please don't hesitate to get in touch. We will pay close attention to customer feedback as we strive toward our 80th year, 100th year and beyond. We hope you will continue to choose the ANA Group as your ongoing travel partner.

President & CEO, ANA
Shinichi Inoue

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