As this year’s newly appointed chairman of the TRON Association, I would like to offer a few words of greeting.
　Firstly, I must express my heartfelt thanks to the former chairman, Mr. Atsutoshi Nishida of Toshiba Corporation, for his efforts on behalf of the association throughout the past year.

　
TRON Association was established in 1988 and will begin its 20th year in March 2008.
We appreciate all of the support that has been given by so many people over these years.

　Based on the approved activity plans for fiscal 2007, the association will this year be focusing on enhancement of the ITRON and T-Kernel specifications, and on the training of real-time OS engineers.

　According to a survey by the association, ITRON holds the largest share among operating systems for embedded systems. We consider that promoting the further adoption of the ITRON and T-Kernel specifications as standards to accompany the increasing sophistication of home appliances and automobiles is essential to the continued development of the industrial world.

　

Fostering embedded software engineers is an urgent issue for the industry. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the association continues its long-term activities for developing skilled next-generation engineers to contribute to the industry.
　
"Innovation" has become a keyword in recent government and media discussion. The "Innovation 25" project of the Cabinet Office is representative, and its final report issued last week states that activities in the fields of science, technology, and human resources must be strengthened for a vital and energetic Japan. The target year for this strategy is 2025, so we are talking about a period between 15 and 20 years.
　
As TRON Association enters its 20th year, we can perhaps say that we have finally reached the stage where the concepts devised at the association’s establishment are being realized. The efforts of TRON Association have made it a pioneer in innovation, which is currently generating much debate, and we appreciate the continued support of all association members as we steadily proceed with our activities under the continued guidance of Dr. Sakamura.

I wish to close this, my inaugural statement, by expressing my strong desire for the continued success of all TRON Association members. Thank you.