MOL President & CEO Hashimoto Addresses Company's Entrance Ceremony
- Working Together to Create the Future of the MOL Group -

October 02, 2025

TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) announced that on October 1, it welcomed 38 new employees (new graduates at marine: 17; career recruits on shore: 21). President & CEO Hashimoto delivered the following message at the entrance ceremony.

"Congratulations to everyone on joining us. I'm truly delighted to welcome you all as our new colleagues.
Today, I'd like to share MOL's current challenges and future direction with you.

"The MOL Group celebrates its 141st anniversary this year, having evolved through numerous mergers. While this history has fostered an open corporate culture, challenges remain-particularly the slow decision-making and conservative tendencies rooted in a consensus-driven approach.
"In recent years, the rapid evolution of the global economy has made it increasingly difficult to stay competitive using conventional methods alone. The MOL Group believes that, to adapt to such environmental changes, we must gradually transform our mindset and corporate culture. At the same time, we remain committed to cherishing our group's valued traditions of 'mutual respect, avoiding factionalism, and engaging in constructive dialogue.' Our aim is to achieve sustainable growth and enhance corporate value while honoring tradition as we pursue transformation.

"The MOL Group currently operates over 900 vessels, with foreign seafarers making up the majority of its crewmembers. Among them, Japanese seafarers constitute less than 10% of the total-a valuable asset to the group with extensive maritime experience and advanced marine technical skills. We place particular emphasis on their development, anticipating their future roles as executives.

"Furthermore, the MOL Group aims to become a global social infrastructure company. As our business expands, opportunities to engage with non-Japanese speakers-both within and outside the organization-are steadily increasing. While AI and automated translation continue to advance, direct communication skills remain indispensable. I sincerely hope all of you will strive to improve your language skills-starting with English-and pursue ongoing self-development.

"Finally, while we have set ambitious targets in our group management plan 'BLUE ACTION 2035,' we need the efforts and growth of every employee to achieve these targets. I hope you will continue to grow-both as individuals and as part of the company.

"I sincerely look forward to seeing your growth and the challenges you embrace as we move toward the future of the new MOL Group."