Japanese corporate leaders gathered on January 7 for the annual New Year’s celebration, setting the stage for discussions about the future direction of their companies as they prepare for 2025. The event featured insights from the CEOs of Japan Airlines (JAL), DeNA, and Mori Trust, each outlining predictions shaped by recent experiences and economic shifts.
Starting with Japan Airlines, Mitsuko Tottoiri, the company’s president, embarked on her prediction for 2025 with the phrase, "Riding the Updraft." She expressed this optimism against the backdrop of difficulties faced over the past year, particularly issues surrounding safety and reliability. Notably, 2024 was marred by incidents such as the collision between a JAL aircraft and a coast guard plane at Haneda Airport, and delays due to alcohol-related issues concerning flight crews. Further exacerbated by serious accidents, including the failure of an aircraft landing in Korea, the airline industry’s reputation took significant hits last year.
Tottoiri emphasized the importance of customer trust, stating, "We want to become a company where customers can feel assured to use our services," reitering her resolve to strengthen the airline’s safety measures and service quality. She noted the positive impact of inbound tourism, with record numbers of international visitors to Japan, and expressed hopes for increased travel to various local regions, saying, "We want people to visit different parts of Japan to revitalize local economies."
Next to share insights was Tomoko Namba, the chairperson of DeNA, who emphasized advancements expected from artificial intelligence. Namba, also the owner of the champion baseball team Yokohama DeNA BayStars, highlighted her anticipation for 2025 as "A Year for League Victory and AI Empowerment." She believed artificial intelligence will become integral to business strategies, stating, "This past year has seen remarkable evolution, and those companies unwilling to embrace new roles between human resources and technology won’t survive," reflecting her commitment to innovation within DeNA.
The final speaker of the event was Miwako Date, president of Mori Trust, who anticipated the shift toward what she termed "New Normal 2.0 Society." Date envisioned transformative regulatory changes including pension reform and adjustments to wage structures, marking it as a year for significant societal evolution. She pointed toward substantial development plans, including the "Tokyo World Gate Akasaka," which will feature 5,000 square meters of green space, reflecting Mori Trust's commitment to natural, sustainable urban development.
Collectively, the predictions of these business leaders offer insight not just for their respective industries, but also for wider trends affecting Japan’s economy and society as it navigates the post-pandemic world. They demonstrated the blend of optimism and caution as these executives look forward to reshaping business practices and fostering growth, all whilst championing improvements to customer experience and safety standards.
With these high-profile predictions now public, the business community and consumers alike can anticipate the initiatives these companies may undertake over the next few years. The concert of innovation led by JAL’s focus on safety, DeNA’s technological integration, and Mori Trust’s commitment to sustainable development form the backdrop against which 2025 will be heralded as not just another year, but potentially as the dawn of significant shifts within the Japanese economic framework.