2026 President’s New Year’s Speech

Jan. 05, 2026

Hidechika Saito, President of Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation, delivered the following 2026 New Year’s message to employees.

Happy New Year to everyone.

It is a privilege to stand before you as we welcome the new year. First and foremost, thank you for your dedication and daily commitment. Due to your hard work we are able to greet the new year together, and for that I am deeply grateful.

Over the past year the global environment has been unstable. Changes in U.S. trade policy, ongoing tensions in the Middle East, and the situation in Ukraine have affected companies around the world, including ours. Even so, the global economy has continued to grow, and we have persevered—thanks to your resilience and adaptability.

Looking ahead to 2026, some instability may remain. At the same time, powerful new technologies—artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology—are driving progress worldwide. For us, this means turning change into opportunity. In logistics, strengthening supply-chain resilience, advancing decarbonization, and accelerating digital transformation are not optional; they are essential.

To point us forward we have established a new business plan spanning 2025 to 2030—aimed at unlocking the full potential of our organization, especially our people, and driving transformation and growth in a rapidly changing environment. Guided by this plan, we have already begun taking bold steps.

In Japan, we have decided to redevelop our warehouse located near Tokyo into a multi-tenant facility, where we will provide cargo handling, transportation, distribution processing, and international shipping to tenant companies. We are also entering the grid storage battery business, leveraging our experience with large-scale power facilities to help address demanding energy needs.

Internationally, we are developing logistics facilities near Bangkok, Thailand, with a local partner. In the United States, we have joined a rental apartment project in Texas—our first overseas real-estate development utilizing an asset-turnover model. In India, we have established MLC India and began operations, strengthening our one- stop service capabilities in the region.

This year, we will accelerate the execution of our business plan.
To further advance total logistics, we will strengthen our account management by building long-term relationships based on trust with our clients. We will also propose and then deliver solutions to any management challenges that come up in logistics from the perspective of the overall supply chain.
Domestically, we will expand into areas where we do not yet have branches. Overseas, we will continue to prioritize ASEAN, North America, and India, while enhancing our organizational strength to support this growth.
We will also pursue investments, including M&A, in Japan and abroad to fortify our logistics network. In tandem with this we will promote automation and labor-saving through digital transformation, improve productivity via centralized administrative centers and smart terminal projects, and intensify our efforts to address climate change.

Now, in order to achieve the goals of our business plan, I would like to propose the following three principles:
1.Embrace change without fear and confidently take on new challenges. 
Even small improvements in your daily work will pile up and lead to meaningful transformations.
2.Work across organizational boundaries. 
Whether between logistics and real estate, domestic and international operations, or branch offices and headquarters, let us unite our wisdom and strength to achieve more together.
3.Keep a long-term perspective. 
Solving today’s issues matters and so does preparing for tomorrow. The future is built on the steps we take now.

This year marks the 139th anniversary of our founding. Let us continue to address social issues through new challenges and innovation, contribute meaningfully to society, and strive to become a company that endures for generations to come.

I sincerely wish that 2026 will be a fruitful, healthy, and happy year for all members of the MLC group and your families.

This concludes my New Year’s address.