In what seems like no time at all, six months have passed since living with COVID-19 became the "new normal." As a business person, I have never gone such a long time without going on an overseas business trip, and I feel like a migratory fish trapped in a tank. During this period, we have seen an increase in global uncertainty. More countries have been putting their own needs first, and there has been an increasingly intense power struggle between the US and China, as well as mounting concerns about a prolonged economic slump.

Despite these circumstances, we need to pay attention to the fact that awareness of and interest in sustainability will continue to grow. Specifically, by around 2030, millennials and Generation Z, who are "SDG natives," will form the core of the economy's purchasing power, labor force, and investment. As such, we should expect the SDG trend to continue accelerating.

We need to align our management targets closely with social sustainability in anticipation of more stringent demands on companies to meet their social responsibilities. Businesses that fail to do so will inevitably be weeded out. Precisely because we are in the "with COVID-19" era, which entails great uncertainty about the future, it is more important than ever to set ambitious quantitative targets and timeframes for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, etc., and then translate them into action.

In Japan, thanks to inherently high hygiene standards and thorough implementation of measures to avoid the "Three C's" (i.e., closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with many people nearby, and close-contact settings), we have managed to limit the number of COVID-19 infections while continuing with economic activities. In order to steer the flow of people and money into Japan again and aim for sustainable growth, we need to further increase our aspirations for health, safety, and the environment, and make such approaches our strengths.

Meanwhile, immediate aid to support small- to medium-sized companies, which are faced with an even tougher business environment, is needed. COVID-19 has also brought a variety of issues with existing systems into even sharper focus. These include delays in government measures to promote digitalization, as well as issues with healthcare, education, and labor laws. I have strong expectations for the role of the Japan Digital Agency in breaking up Japan's vertically organized bureaucracy and initiatives to promote regulatory reforms for greater use of data. I also believe that Japan's "My Number" (individual identification) system will need to be linked to all forms of identification. Japan's falling birthrate and aging society have slowed the country's economic growth rate and are leading to labor shortages. Accordingly, it will be important for local governments to review their future visions and support restructuring and mergers among Japanese companies. At the same time, we need to welcome talented workers from overseas and cultivate a society where diverse values can coexist, while improving productivity in the Japanese economy by expanding the application of DX and discretionary work, and by increasing the mobility of the workforce.

What can we do to build a sustainable future? COVID-19 poses a true test of determination for both the public and private sectors.