■ 50th Anniversary of STEF

From December 5 to 10, we held the 50th annual STEF (Sony Technology Exchange Fair) at Sony headquarters in Tokyo, attended by many of you from around the world. As with last year, it was held as a hybrid event, featuring approximately 70 in-person exhibits and over 180 online, with a total of approximately 20,000 employees participating this year. Taking in the event, I was once again inspired and amazed by the strength of everyone's creativity and the power of our technology. This year we opened some of the exhibits to those outside of the Sony Group, and I look forward to STEF continuing to provide a forum for internal and external collaboration in the future.

On the 6th, we held an R&D Strategy Briefing for external attendees, during which our CTO Kitano-san spoke of R&D to "create a better future." I participated through a video message in which I emphasized the importance of sensing and AI, and stated that we will continue to refine our "technology that inspires emotion."

Kitano-san explaining the Sony Group's R&D mission	R&D Strategy Briefing Q&A session (click image to view names)

Sony Group Corporation（SGC） Outside Directors also attended STEF

At a reception for the Board of Directors held the same week as STEF, the first time in three years all Directors and the heads of each business were able to gather in person (click image to view names)

■ FIFA World Cup

This month, there has also been much excitement around the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. At each of the matches, officiating services developed by Hawk-Eye Innovations, which joined the Sony Group in 2011, are being used to help referees make difficult decisions.

In addition to Hawkeye, within the Sony Group we have Pulselive, which provides digital platforms for various sports organizations, and just last month, Beyond Sports B.V. of the Netherlands newly joined the Group. Beyond Sports has developed highly advanced technologies in areas such as real-time data processing of match data into virtual content, and three dimensional visualization based on human movement sciences. Going forward I hope we can continue to contribute to delivering Kando through sports using the Sony Group's technologies.

One of the most talked-about shots from this World Cup, taken by an Associated Press photographer at the Japan-Spain match from a catwalk high in the stadium, using Sony's Alpha full-frame mirrorless camera Photo by Associated Press photographer, Petr David Josek Sony Alpha 1 x FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS lens

■Interaction with Bungie and Pixomondo

Some of our colleagues at Bungie and Pixomondo, who we recently welcomed into the Sony Group, were also in Japan for STEF, so I was able to have the opportunity to speak with them in person. Bungie and Pixomondo are both companies that are pushing the boundaries of creativity, Bungie with live game services and Pixomondo in the area of Virtual Production.

Together with the Bungie team (click image to view names)

With the Pixomondo team (click image to view names)

All of us together with members of SGC and the Sony Pictures Entertainment team

I am very encouraged to see the potential of Sony's creativity expanding through M&A. At Sony, we are focused on the creators who create Kando, and want to be the brand chosen by creators around the world. That is why it is so important that we ourselves are committed to creativity. I am sometimes asked, "How will Sony compete with GAFA?" but I see GAFA, with their strengths in content distribution, as our partners in spreading Kando around the world.

■ Apple CEO Tim Cook's Visit to Kumamoto TEC

On December 13, we welcomed Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, an important partner in our image sensor business, to Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing's (SCK) Kumamoto Technology Center. I proposed the visit to him when we met in the U.S. in July this year, and was pleased to see those plans come to fruition.

Smartphones have turned users around the world into creators, and I describe the CMOS image sensors that make this possible as a "Kando creation device." Apple is a highly valued customer for us, and an important partner in evolving image sensor technology. Furthermore, with four of the top five songs on list released last month being from Sony Music Entertainment artists, our partnership with Apple is also an important one for our music business.

As a "creative entertainment company," we will continue to position creativity as the starting point of our business, and value the partnerships that enable us to deliver Kando to the world as we strive to achieve growth.

(click image to view names)

With CEO Tim Cook and the team at SCK

This will be my last blog for the year. Over the past year, I have had the privilege of meeting many of you across the Sony Group, live and in person. In doing so, I have gained renewed appreciation of the diversity of our array of talent and businesses. I would like to continue to leverage that diversity as a strength in the coming year, working with everyone based on our Purpose towards creating new value. I wish you and all your families a safe and peaceful year-end and new year's season.

As always, I look forward to receiving your feedback.