English Recordings

We have focused on developing RTD tea products in Japan, which is one of our core competencies. We’d like to break into Vietnamese market by leveraging it. The soft drink market in Japan is fully mature. As for the soft drink market, it would not be overstatement to say that Japan is the most developed country in the world. By Japanese standards, we consider that a category for RTD green tea exists there in Vietnam and they can distinguish green tea from other kinds of soft drinks. However, as a result of the marketing survey what we've learned is that the category for RTD green tea seems to remain obscure in consumer cognition.

Before Maureen reports about the conference in Singapore, I've got an announcement to make about the new printer. As you may already know, we recently bought a new printer that has several useful capabilities. One is that we can now print on both sides of a sheet of paper, which will save a lot of paper. However, this option is a bit slow, so if you need double-sided copies quickly, it's better to use one of the photocopiers. Also, if you're not sure how to connect your computer to the new printer, let Patrick know and he'll show you how.

In spite of the abrupt yen appreciation, the prices of raw materials and crops keep rising, which brings about a lot of trouble to import industries including Suntory.
Under such circumstances, our sales and profits are rising steadily.
We have achieved 6 straight years of earning and revenue growth.
As you know, the world population is over 7billion, while some of the developed countries have the birth rate issue.
Japan is the very country.
According to a national census recently announced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the number of population except for foreigners has just started to decrease since records began.
The Japanese market is shrinking.

The last year's turnover of the Suntory group was around $22 billion. The sales of soft-drinks makes up about 60% of the total.The ratio of international sales of Suntory is still 25% at this point, while many Japanese leading companies' such as Toyota and Sony is about to reach 80%.The average ratio of international sales at these listed manufactures is reaching 50%. Compared with this average, Suntory's is quite low. It is often said that it is difficult for indigenous food manufactures such as Suntory to enter into foreign markets. As foods are something indigenous in the first place, it is unsuited for globalization.However, we have to enter into oversea markets because of the birth rate issue.

As I have described before, we also design consumers' perceptions.
It would not be an overstatement to say that this is the way how we define the word "designing' in our company.
We introduce a metaphorical technique to express consumers' perceptions in our designs.Using metaphors into a design is the resource of ideas and also the strength of our design.
We may often see metaphors attached in designs elsewhere.
However, most of them are based merely on visual sense alone.
In our cases, metaphors are mostly based on all of our five senses, namely sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste, which altogether enable us to associate rich and complex memories with our brands.
This is a traditional approach for designing in Japan and also called “Mitate” in our language.
Mitate has also been long used in “Chanoyu”, or our traditional tea ceremony, and “Haiku”, or the shortest poetry since early times.

The name of Suntory appeared in the movie called "Lost in Translation", which won Academy Award for best original screenplay. The movie was directed by Sofia Coppola, the daughter of Francis Coppola.
She used to appear in some movies, but she was a lousy actress and had a bad reputation.
She got Golden Raspberry Awards several times, which are given to the worst actors and actresses.
Thanks to the movie I think some people in the world may have come to know our company’s name.
In the movie, we were introduced as a whiskey maker, but the fact is, we are a general food manufacturer rather than a whiskey maker.

All right?

Once upon a time in a faraway land there was a Chinese wiseman and his disciple. One day, during his travels, he saw a hut in the distance.
As they approached, they noticed that the house was being lived in even though it was extremely run down.
In that desolate land with no trees and no crops, a man lived with his wife, three young children and an emaciated, tired looking cow.
Hungry and thirsty, the wiseman and his disciple asked to be allowed to rest for a few hours and were well received.
At one point, while he was eating, the wiseman asked:
- This is a very poor land, faraway from everything. How do you survive?
- Do you see that cow? It’s our livelihood, said the head of the family. We drink the milk she gives and also make cheese from it. When there are leftovers, we go to town and exchange the milk and cheese for other foods. This is how we live.
The wiseman thanked them for their hospitality and left. As soon as they had turned the first bend in the road, he said to the disciple:
- Go back, take the cow, lead it over to the cliff over there and push it off.
The disciple could not believe what he was hearing.
- I cannot do that, master! How can you be so ungrateful? The cow is all they have. If I throw it off the cliff, they won’t survive. Without the cow they die!
The man, as all Chinese wisemen do, just took a deep breath and repeated the order:
- Go over there and push the cow over the cliff.
Outraged, but resigned, the disciple returned to the hut and quietly led the animal to the cliff and pushed. And obviously, the cow died from the fall.
Years passed by, yet the regret of the disciple remained.
One spring day, racked with guilt, he abandoned the wise old man and decided to return to that same spot. He wanted to see what had happened to the family, help them, apologize and somehow make amends.
As he came around the turn in the road, could not believe what his eyes saw. In place of the run down hut there was a wonderful house with many trees, a swimming pool, an imported car in the garage, and satellite dish.
Around the barbecue were three robust teenagers along with their parents celebrating the victory of making their first million dollars. The disciple's heart sank.
What happened to the family?
Hunger must have forced them to sell their land and leave. At that very moment, he thought, they must be begging on some city street corner.
He then approached a household servant and asked if he knew the whereabouts of the family that had lived there several years ago.
- Of course I do. You're looking at them - the servant said, pointing to the people around the barbecue.
Amazed, the disciple pushed open the gate and came near to the pool where he recognized the same man as before, only stronger and dignified, a happier woman and children who had turned into healthy adolescents. Startled, he turned to the man and said:
- What happened? I've visited this place with my teacher a few years ago, and this was a miserable place. There was nothing. What did you do to improve your lives in such a short period of time?
The man looked at the disciple, smiled and replied:
- We had a cow that was our livelihood. It was everything we had.
But one day she fell over the cliff and died. To survive, we had to do other things and develop skills that we did not even know we had.
And so, in our search for new ways to survive, we are today much better off than we were before.
(Unknown Author)

1. The medicine is slow to act.
2. The drug acts upon the brain.
3. Acids act on metals.
4. This is the action replay.
5. Actions speak louder than words.
6. People must be judged by their actions.
7. What were his actual words?
8. Is this the actual picture?
9. What is the actual price?
10. There is no actual contract.
11. Actually, I am her brother.
12. I wasn't there, actually.
13. What did he actually say?
14. The ship broke adrift.
15. He cut the boat adrift.
16. He turned him adrift.
17. That dirty old man made advances to my wife.
18. We booked a table in advance.
19. My boss has made me an advance payment.
20. He advanced to the rank of captain.
21. Our products are to be shown off to best advantage.
22. We have to turn this business to our advantage.
23. It was a strange affair.
24. I think it will be a big affair.
25. He is the secretary of foreign affairs.
26. You have to put your personal affairs in order.
27. Your sister had an affair with an older man.
28. We can afford it.
29. We can't afford a new car.
30. This is an opportunity you can't afford to miss.
31. The old woman ran after the hooligan brandishing her umbrella.
32. This picture was painted after Goya.
33. He is named after his father.
34. I see what you're after.
35. She is after a husband.
36. I've told you again and again.
37. You owe me £1,000 and as much again in interest.
38. Refund available against this voucher.
39. We've sold a thousand this year against two thousand last year.
40. Put it against expenses.

1. There is a lot of flu about.
2. I'm glad to see you up and about.
3. All the toys were spread about the garden.
4. He glanced about nervously.
5. And what about me?
6. There's something strange about that man.
7. What is this book about?
8. We cannot admit above 30 people.
9. We are 1,000 metres above sea level.
10. It was above his understanding.
11. This film is for people above 18 years of age.
12. He was above all suspicion.
13. My mother is above deception.
14. Fall in line four abreast.
15. You have to keep abreast of what is going on.
16. The two runners kept abreast.
17. We met quite by accident.
18. This car accommodates four people.
19. He did it of his own accord.
20. We did it in accordance with the instructions.
21. We bought the car on account.
22. One day you will be called to account.
23. He gave a good account of himself.
24. He left that detail out of account.
25. I have to settle accounts with that fellow.
26. He turned the circumstances to account.
27. He was as black as the ace of spades.
28. That boy is an ace.
29. Not all is lost. I still have an ace up my sleeve.
30. I'm acquainted with the situation.
31. They have long been acquainted.
32. They have a large circle of acquaintances.
33. He is a person who has many acquaintances.
34. I have not the honour of his acquaintance.
35. It improves upon acquaintance.
36. I am very glad to make your acquaintance.
37. He is an old acquaintance of mine.
38. He helped an old lady across the road.
39. A plank had been laid across.
40. The teacher tried to get his point across to the students.