Conclusion Lastly, I would like to once again touch upon the economy of the Tokai region. As I mentioned earlier, the region is the frontrunner of economic expansion in Japan.
As for the outlook for the external environment, although the downside risk has subsided slightly with the SARS epidemic coming to an end, there still continues to be substantial uncertainty about the recovery of the U.S. economy. On the domestic side, the recovery in stock prices is a positive factor.