1. (1) the region had already achieved a
   certain level of economic growth,
2. (2) its large and growing population, and
3. (3) its generally pro-Japanese sentiment.

ASEAN comprises ten diverse countries
—Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,  ailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos,
Myanmar, and Cambodia—
marked by a rich mosaic of languages, religions, and cultures.

Leveraging valuable connections, INSPiRE has supported numerous Japanese
companies in developing their businesses across the region.

Among our most important priorities have been building mutualistic symbiosis
partnerships with local counterparts and successfully localising offerings to suit each
market.

Establishing mutualistic symbiosis partnerships is a strategy for ensuring
sustainability on both sides and achieving medium- to long-term growth.

Localisation, meanwhile, involves optimising elements such as colour, taste, and
design to suit regional preferences without compromising the core value proposition.

This approach exempli es the Japanese concept of fueki ryūkō—maintaining enduring
values while embracing change.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic,
thrusting us all into unprecedented circumstances.

In many ASEAN countries, stricter lockdowns were enforced compared to Japan,
with both domestic and international movement severely restricted.

However, the mutualistic synbiosis partnerships we had nurtured, along with tools
such as Zoom, proved vital in navigating these diffcult times.

Today, as societies gradually regain a sense of stability,

we are witnessing the completion of landmark skyscrapers such as
Merdeka PNB 118 (118 storeys) and
The Exchange 106 (95 storeys)
in Kuala Lumpur.
The resurgence of the ASEAN economy signals that the time has come once again to be
mindful of fueki ryūkō.

The haiku master Matsuo Bashō , who lived during the Edo period, famously wrote:

“Without understanding the unchanging, one cannot establish a foundation; without
understanding the changing, one cannot bring forth freshness.”

He also urged us to find beauty in the ordinary and advocated for a poetic style that
values lightness and a deep appreciation for the natural world.

In this context, fueki refers to universal and timeless values—such as the beauty of
nature and human emotion—

while ryūkō denotes the adoption of novelty and innovation appropriate to the times.

Bashō’ s poetic philosophy offers a valuable lesson for business as well:
it is through upholding fundamental values while adapting flexibly to circumstances
that new value is born.

In parallel with its business development efforts in ASEAN, INSPiRE has also been
working to commercialise wireless sensing technology originally invented in the
United States.

While this technology has been adopted mainly in the context of smart home security
in Europe and the Americas,

in Japan—one of the most rapidly ageing societies in the world—it is now being
deployed in elderly care monitoring services.

This, too, is a living practice of fueki ryūkō in action.

As we mark a quarter of a century since our founding, INSPiRE remains commi ed to
walking alongside entrepreneurs and embracing the spirit of “creating together from
the very beginning”

With the support of our valued partners, we have engaged in the creation of new
value, and in doing so, have formed an organic community that we now refer to as the
INSPiRE Co-Creation Network.

We pledge to continue embracing change without losing fueki -sight of enduring
values-, to support one another, and to grow together—as we take our next steps
“together with”.