■ SIE Town Hall Meeting

As I mentioned in my previous blog, this month I will share my experiences at the recent Town Hall Meeting we held at Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) in San Mateo, US, on October 18. At the event, I took the stage alongside Totoki-san and Jim Ryan, President and CEO of SIE. After the three of us shared our respective messages with the SIE employees in attendance in person and online, we then engaged in a Q&A session.

Jim Ryan spoke positively on the status of SIE's business, the support being provided by Sony headquarters, and the strength of the SIE leadership team, saying "I am totally relaxed about this transition."	Totoki-san expressed his respect and gratitude for SIE's many successes, saying that he looked forward to working with everyone to create further growth together."

The Game & Network Services (G&NS) segment is a driver of the Sony Group and our largest business. In my speech, I underlined that G&NS has been at the forefront of Sony's growth for the past decade and now accounts for as much as one-third of our consolidated sales. I believe that G&NS will continue to be a key driver of Kando creation at Sony, both as a business and as a leader in the megatrend of technology.

At the venue, where I was pleased to see so many of the SIE team in attendance

Following our remarks, Totoki-san, Jim and I responded to questions from SIE employees. As we recently announced, Jim has decided to step down from his position as President and CEO of SIE in March 2024. With Totoki-san having assumed the role of SIE Chairman on October 1 and due to serve as interim CEO from April next year, a wide range of questions were directed to him. When asked about his personal leadership style, Totoki-san explained his approach based on the following three points: ① My philosophy: Aim for sustainable growth from a long-term perspective ② My values: Courage in decision making, persistence and flexibility in execution ③ Perspective: Focus on the external environment, with a "market-in" mindset that prioritizes customer needs.

On stage with Totoki-san and Jim Ryan	Totoki-san during the Q&A session

The success of G&NS is inextricably linked to the long-term growth of the Sony Group as a whole. I would like to thank Jim again for leading and evolving this business, and look forward to working with all of you to ensure its continued success.

Taking the opportunity to engage in conversation with SIE employees after the event (click to enlarge)

With the heads and key management of each business during the Entertainment MRP meeting held on Oct.17 and 18 in San Mateo (click to enlarge)

With Jim Ryan and Totoki-san

■ CEATEC and the Japan Mobility Show

I would also like to touch on two exhibitions that were held here in Japan this October.

CEATEC
On October 20, the day I returned from the US, I visited CEATEC 2023 at the Makuhari Messe convention center. At the Sony Booth, we showcased many of our accessibility-focused products and services, as well as inclusive design initiatives based on the theme of a future where individuals of all abilities can share Kando.

HX99 RNV Retina Projection Camera kit	Prototype conversation support smart glasses. Converts audio picked up by the built-in microphone into text and displays it on the smart glass display.
XR Catch is a game in which players rely on sound to throw a virtual ball back and forth, creating an inclusive game of catch that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of visual capability or physical strength.

During this visit, I was greatly encouraged to see that efforts to enhance accessibility through our products and services are extending throughout the Sony Group. As a company whose corporate direction is "getting closer to people," let's continue to contribute through our businesses so that people with diverse needs can share in Kando.

Japan Mobility Show
At the Japan Mobility Show 2023, held at Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center from October 26 to November 5, Sony Honda Mobility (SHM)'s AFEELA electric vehicle prototype was exhibited for the first time in Japan.

During the exhibition, I had the chance to attend in person and speak with top management from various automobile manufacturers, and I believe it will be important to continue to strengthen our engagement with automakers and partners around the world to also ensure our growth in the area of mobility.

(click to enlarge)

Of course, as the Sony Group we will provide our support and collaborate closely with SHM. AFEELA will be equipped with Sony's imaging and sensing technology, and I hope that Sony Semiconductor Solutions will lead the evolution of mobility by reinforcing the safety of EVs through this technology. I plan to discuss these expectations further at the next Sony Group Quarterly Meeting on November 21.

As always, I look forward to receiving your thoughts and feedback.