Kyokuyo has today announced the appointment of two new directors. At the Board of Director's meeting and the shareholders' meeting that were held on June 28, 2018, the board and the shareholders approved the appointment of Norihiko Harada as Vice President of the company and Hiroshi Yoshida as Managing Director of the company, with immediate effect. Takashi Nagatomi, former Managing Director, has been reappointed as part-time Director.

Let us introduce our new directors.

• 1986 .. Graduated from Kansai University (B.Eng.)
• 1986 .. Joined Kawatetsu Shoji Trade Corporation
• 2008 .. General Manager of Osaka Plate Department, Western District Steel Division, JFE Shoji Trade Corporation and CEO of JFE Shoji Zosen Kako Corporation
• 2011 .. Joined Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation as Corporate Officer and General Manager of Material Purchasing Division
• 2013 .. Corporate Officer and General Manager of Production Division
• 2015 .. Executive Corporate Officer (Production Division and Material Purchasing Division)
• 2018 .. Vice President, Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation

"Maido!" More than 6 years have passed since I embarked the Ship Kyokuyo as the general manager of its Material Purchase Division. I was then given opportunities to take charge of other divisions in the company, like production or sales, although for a limited time. Here at Kyokuyo, I have been busy in learning something new every day and I can't believe that the time went by so quickly!

The 6.5 years are full of great memories. Besides happy and pleasant moments, I experienced also tough times. Every time I felt down, I just thought about my favorite things and people - ship, Kyokuyo, and, in particular, my colleagues - and that helped me a lot.

I am excited about the opportunity to serve as vice president of Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation. I am ready to do my very best "full ahead" to propel this ship, so that Kyokuyo will become the best company to our valuable customers, our employees and our stakeholders.

• 1988 : Graduated from National Defence Academy (B.Eng.)
• 1988 : Joined Nissho Iwai Corporation (Now Sojitz Corporation)
• 1995 : Marine Department, Nissho Iwai Corporation
• 1998 : Manager of Marine Business, Nissho Iwai Taiwan Corporation
• 2001 : Assistant Manager, Nissho Iwai Corporation
• 2004 : Joined Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation as Manager of Sales Department, Sales Division
• 2008 : Corporate Officer and General Manager of Sales Division
• 2015 : Executive Corporate Officer (Sales Division and Ship Repair Division)
• 2018 : Managing Director, Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation

Hello, I am Hiroshi Yoshida, I have been always working at the forefront of newbuilding sales in my 15 years at Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation.

The shipping markets are succession of ups and downs, and goes and stops. After I joined the company in 2004, the market went steadily up, and our record backlog which we secured during 2007 made us somewhat euphoric, as we didn't know yet that the whole shipbuilding industry in Japan would be severely hit next year by dramatic yen appreciation triggered by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers.

I will never forget the strong support from our customers, trading houses, brokers and suppliers during those hard times for Japanese shipbuilders. We could deal with the difficult market situations thanks to the mutual cooperation and understanding between Kyokuyo and them.

As director of the company, my primary role of leading the Sales Division is unchanged. As I have been always working with my team, I am very much looking forward to continuing the voyage with them.

Listening to every piece of information from Japan and other countries ; making sure the actual position of Kyokuyo in the industry and share it with our directors and employees ; improving further our good points that are creativeness, technical ability and flexibility, and purchasing ability ; and securing orders under any market situations - my mission is multiple. I will give it my all for the "Team Kyokuyo"!