Mitsui Interbusiness Research Institute, or MIRI, was established in October 1978, with the participation of major companies from the Mitsui Group, for the purpose of applying the management resources of the group companies more effectively.

MIRI has been carrying out various studies and research with active coordination and cooperation from the group companies in order to accomplish its mission of "collecting knowledge and intelligence for interbusiness among different business fields".

Primarily introducing the concept of "Interbusiness", this Institute fulfills its function by conducting studies and research to find methods of creating new business fields. Furthermore, it obtains and provides important information concerning subjects common to Mitsui Group companies.

In recent years, social and economic surroundings have been changing widely with the advance of globalization and communication networks. It is increasingly important that there be cooperation among different fields of business and promotion of technological compounding outside traditional frameworks. In view of this new era, we must be better equipped with a deeper insight into the future and a global point of view.

In order to meet these expectations, under its Executive Committee, MIRI has three General Committees, namely Planning & Administration, Society & Science and Technology, which consist of member companies' representatives. Each General Committee has a standing Planning Committee that works to arrange important themes for the Working Committees. The Working Committees study and research the designated special themes collaborating with each other from an interbusiness point of view.

More than 500 researchers, including executives and specialists from 31 Mitsui Group companies, participate in this project. This has a great effect on not only putting the fruits of their efforts to practical use, but also promoting human resources exchange among group companies.

In taking up new challenges in response to changes in various fields and in predicting the needs of the times, we will at times thoroughly discuss each subject while adopting a multidirectional and Interbusiness approach to business, as we aim to contribute to economic and social progress around the world, while bringing results to the management of the participating companies.

Your kind advice and support will be very much appreciated.

July, 2010

Shimpei Miyamura
Chairman