During the UNESCO World Heritage Committee's annual meeting held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in June, "Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration" was adopted to be registered as a World Culture Heritage site. It is registered as Japan's 13^th Cultural Heritage site and 17^th World Heritage site (including Nature Heritage).

At the foot of the Mount Fuji area, the paper industry has prospered since the past, for the rain and snow on Mount Fuji, which flow into Suruga Bay, provide the area with a rich source of river and groundwater. Therefore, there are many paper mills in that area including Oji's mills. As such, the news of the registration of the majestic Mount Fuji, high over behind those mills, as a World Heritage site, has made me feel very glad and pleased to have such an affinity with Mount Fuji.

Definitely, Mount Fuji is one of the famous mountains in the world, but there are also a number of "Hometown Fuji" in Japan such as Mount Youtei in Hokkaido (Ezo Fuji); Mount Iwaki in Aomori (Tsugaru Fuji); Mount Nantai in Tochigi (Nikko Fuji); Mount Daisen in Tottori (Hoki Fuji) and Kaimondake in Kagoshima (Satsuma Fuji), etc. If Mount Fuji, the main representative of these Fuji Mountains, can be registered as a World Heritage site, it would be very delightful for the people around Japan, as well. Moreover, the registration of Mount Fuji as a new World Heritage site will draw people's interest towards the scenic spots and the cultural assets in Shizuoka and Yamanashi Prefecture, which has been described in many Japanese poems and art paintings. I think it will be even better if it can also lead to regional development and environment protection.

Every year, more than 300,000 people climb up Mount Fuji. While it is possible to reach the 5^th station of Mount Fuji by car via the provided paved road, but from that station onwards, it takes more than five hours through the road of sand and volcanic rock to reach the summit. Even though it is likely to think that "everybody can reach at the 5^th station of Mount Fuji easily", but in reality people find it difficult to find motivation to do so.

And now, turning our attention to the Japanese economy, it has come to a crucial point in ascertaining whether the signs of economic recovery brought about by "Abenomics" effect will spread to the real economy and leads to sustainable growth or not. If we compare climbing Mount Fuji to the Japanese economy, it is as if that we are riding on a bus called Monetary Quantitative Easing that we have never ride before and now we have arrived at the trail entrance. However, from now on we are required to climb up the summit on our own foot. Even though a steep road might be ahead of us as we look up, we have already been enough motivated to reach the 5^th station. Therefore, with courage, we will walk up this unfamiliar mountain trail step by step, so that we can enjoy the desired wonderful view from the top.