Good morning. I'm Kenichi Hori, newly appointed President and CEO of Mitsui and Company effective April 1st. Thank you for joining us today. I will start by discussing our progress in the first year of the Medium-Term Management Plan 2023, announced last year, and initiatives looking ahead. Will then give an overview of results for the fiscal year March 2021, and our business plan for the fiscal year ending March 2022. Then I will hand over to Tetsuya Shigeta, Global Controller, who will speak on the results and business plan in more detail. After the deep economic downturn in the world's major economies caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it shows robust recovery, driven by the resumption of economic activity in the U.S. and elsewhere, large-scale economic stimulus measures, and progress with vaccinations.
China achieved early control of the spread of this infection and has been the frontrunner in terms of economic recovery through fiscal stimulus centered on infrastructure. Meanwhile in Europe, economic activity remained constrained by the renewed spread of infection. Therefore, recovery could be delayed. The situation in emerging markets is variable, with relatively low economic impact from the pandemic in Southeast Asia, but a continuing problem in areas such as Southwest Asia and parts of South America, where the spread of infection remains uncontrolled. In Japan, full economic recovery is not expected until the vaccination program reaches scale after summer. Amid this varying pace and regional differences of the economic recovery, we have achieved strong business performance, engaging in a wide range of businesses that are benefiting from the journey back to the economic health.
Especially in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year March 2021, we saw very good ongoing performance in the iron ore operation, backed by strong demand for steel products for Chinese public works and infrastructure projects. In the U.S., where large-scale fiscal expansion is driving and rapid recovery, Penske Automotive Group achieved record high earnings in 2020, supported by pent-up demand for commercial vehicles such as automobiles and trucks, as well as by the impact of comprehensive rationalization measures. We are working with Penske Group on a strategic vision and investigating new business opportunities in the commercial transportation sector. In the fiscal year March 2021, we achieved robust earnings and shown a capacity to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Mitsui has strong partnerships around the world, a foundation for valuable tangible and intangible assets.
We aim to make use of our strengths and pursue even higher levels of growth by developing our business in countries and regions showing strong recovery, leveraging the inherent potential of our positioning. Page three outlines our results for the year and our plan for the year ahead. For FY March 2021, core operating cash flow was JPY 658.1 billion, profit was JPY 335.5 billion, and ROE was 8%. Supported by strong iron ore business, trading, FVTPL gains, and other factors, we achieved our full year forecast for both core operating cash flow and profit. The planned annual dividend for the year is JPY 85 per share, an increase of JPY 5, and total estimated returns to shareholders for the year will be approximately JPY 210 billion, or 31% of core operating cash flow.
Looking ahead to the fiscal year March 2022, we intend to strengthen our earnings base and implement various growth strategies with the aim of reaching our quantitative targets of MTMP 2023 ahead of schedule for both core operating cash flow and profit, while continuing on to higher performance. For the full year, our plan is for core operating cash flow of JPY 680 billion, with profit of JPY 460 billion. We plan to further increase the annual dividend by JPY 5 to JPY 90 per share for the fiscal year March 2022, and to raise our minimum dividend per share to JPY 90. We also made a decision for additional share buyback of maximum JPY 50 billion. Repurchasing period will be from May to end of June this year. Please turn to page four. I will now look at tasks and progress for the fiscal year March 2021.
Amid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, we focused on three strategic topics for the year, namely steady implementation of projects and realizing stronger profitability, initiatives to strengthen downward resilience amid rapid changes in the operating environment, and continuing on from our previous MTMP, strengthening business management capabilities and promoting digital transformation. For the steady implementation projects and realizing stronger profitability initiative, we made significant progress such as a final investment decision for the gas field development project in Western Australia and the start of full production for all trains at the Cameron LNG project in the U.S. Moreover, amid economic recovery, we were able to achieve sound profits from the stable supply of resources, materials, food, and services, which are essential for daily life.
In terms of initiatives to strengthen downward resilience, progress included a reassessment of our operations and restructuring our business portfolio, mainly on Mineral, Metal Resources, Energy, and Machinery and Infrastructure. We also worked to accelerate the strengthening and transformation of businesses by restructuring and reconfiguring existing business groups to improve our earning space. Finally, for strengthening business management capabilities and digital transformation, we introduced ROIC, ROI standard, to promote capital efficiency awareness company-wide, increase the quality and efficiency of existing operations utilizing DX, while also making measurable progress in the development of new business models. I will now explain our business plan and key initiatives for the fiscal year March 2022. Page six, please.
As I mentioned earlier, we were able to secure some excellent business outcomes, demonstrating our strong ability to produce earnings and generate cash from the emerging economic recovery, even as the pandemic continued in fiscal year March 2021. We also saw steady results from our defensive measures to thoroughly reduce costs and restructure our portfolio. This year gave us a solid footing as a first year of MTMP. The theme of our current MTMP, transform and grow, and looking ahead, we will continue working to sustainably increase our corporate value by steadily implementing and realizing results from the goals and strategies set forth in our MTMP 2023. If we take a high-level view of the post-COVID-19 world, I'm confident that there are numerous opportunities to grow in areas adjacent to our existing strong businesses.
We intend to strengthen these core businesses and use them as catalysts for organic collaboration in related fields to build high-quality composite business clusters. By securing the high-quality business clusters horizontally across industries, we will strengthen and grow our portfolio. We are aiming to secure these high-quality business clusters to further strengthen and maintain our cash-generating capability, and to pursue both growth investments and shareholder returns. Please turn to page seven and eight, which outline our quantitative targets in our business plan for fiscal year March 2022. With a recovery from COVID-19 and reinforcing our earnings base boosted by strong commodity prices, we aim to achieve our FY March 2023 core operating cash flow targets one year ahead of plan and then push on to even greater height in our drive to transform and grow. Please turn to slide nine.
As I just said, in FY March 2021, we increased our core operating cash flow. Mitsui has proved its resilience even in the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflecting its strong cash-generating capabilities, we are updating our three-year cash flow allocation previously announced in our MTMP 2023 in May last year. The core operating cash flow forecast has been revised upward from JPY 1.5 trillion to JPY 2 trillion, and overall cash in is expected to increase despite the decrease in asset recycling. After a careful review considering the reduction of capital expenditure and the certainty of execution of investments, we expect the total amount of investments and loans to be within the range of JPY 1.5 trillion, and thus recognize that there is additional capacity for growth investments and shareholder returns.
We have already allocated JPY 140 billion for share buybacks, and plan to allocate an additional JPY 40 billion for dividend increases, and JPY 150 billion for growth investments, bearing in mind of subscribing convertible bonds of CT Corp, which will be explained in later slide. We will continue to allocate funds flexibly and strategically for growth investments and additional returns in consideration of investment opportunities and the overall business environment. We will now look at our policy on returns to shareholders on page 10. We plan an annual dividend for the fiscal year March 2021 of JPY 85 per share. For the fiscal year March 2022 and 2023, we plan to raise the annual dividend to a minimum of JPY 90 per share. We also made the decision for additional share buyback of maximum JPY 50 billion.
Looking ahead, we will pursue a sustainable increase in shareholder returns as a percentage of core operating cash flow while working to optimize capital efficiency. Please turn to page 11. I will now explain the key initiatives in our business plan for the fiscal year March 2022. First, I will talk about the formation of business clusters of scale. For example, in our partnership with the Penske Group, which I explained at the beginning of the presentation, we began by investing in Penske Automotive Group in 2001 to develop our North American passenger automobile dealership business, and further collaboration led to our investment in Penske Truck Leasing, a truck leasing and logistics company, in 2015. While the U.S. is a developed country, its population is increasing and growth in freight transportation is expected.
Consequently, we started this capital alliance focusing on the commercial vehicle field and transportation service field where we can leverage our knowledge and strengths. Our extensive experience and know-how in the truck-based auto parts logistics business has been highly valued by Penske, and this know-how is now being utilized in Penske Truck Leasing. Together, we offer our services to a wide range of customers and partners across the Americas, and the business has now developed a solid revenue base. We hope to further strengthen and expand our portfolio by leveraging these businesses in which we possess strengths, and secure groups of businesses across industries that can be developed into functional extensions, horizontal development, and expansions into peripheral businesses. Please turn to page 12.
Each project that is currently being planned, developed, and promoted is intended to bolster the strengths of the group, reinforcing the foundation of existing business, and organically linking peripheral businesses, in addition to contributing to earnings in their own right. We will also accelerate initiatives for industry reorganization, partnering with leading companies in strategic allocation of personnel, et cetera, in domestic businesses here in Japan. Please turn to page 13. I will now outline the areas of strategic focus in our MTMP 2023. In Energy Solutions, we will leverage our core businesses while organically linking peripheral businesses to lead the energy transition. For example, we will accelerate initiatives in next-generation fields, such as hydrogen and ammonia, by utilizing and linking the knowledge we possess in our core businesses in the energy and power generation fields. We will now turn to page 14 and review our business in Healthcare and Nutrition.
We will accelerate the development of foundation for growth through initiatives to broaden target domains from Healthcare to Wellness, as well as from patient-centered to individual-centered. We will develop largest wellness services in Asia by combining our real-world existing portfolio with advanced digital technologies. To reflect these efforts, our Healthcare Service Business Unit was renamed in April of this year, and is now referred to as Wellness Business Unit.
Please turn to page 15. We agreed to subscribe convertible bonds of CT Corp, an Indonesian business conglomerate with a dominant position in consumer-related sectors, including finance, media, retail, and property, and has proved itself to have an unshakable presence in the midst of the pandemic. Mitsui will leverage the group's strong business platform and unique strengths to tackle the growing and changing Asian consumer market. Through hands-on collaboration, where we will bring in director and seconded employees, we aim to enhance CT Corp's corporate value, create joint businesses, and aim for its public offering. We will now turn to page 16, and I will discuss our human resources strategy and promotion of sustainability management and ESG. Our human resources strategy is to introduce policies to strengthen individuals and support transform and growth.
In sustainability management, we will continue to actively promote initiatives in the areas of climate change, the circular economy, and the business and human rights in the fiscal year ending March 2022, and connect these initiatives to the enhancement of our corporate value. Page 17. On the topic of climate change, we announced our mid to long-term target to reduce GHG emissions in May 2021. As a responsible member of the business community, we're proactively tackling the climate change issue to realize a sustainable society. We will work on transition and opportunity through our worldwide portfolio and contribute to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, as well as our own emissions, while at the same time seeking to ensure economic viability. That concludes my part of the presentation.
I will now hand over to Tetsuya Shigeta, our Global Controller, to explain the details of our operating results for the fiscal year ending March 2021, and our business plan for fiscal year ending March 2022.
Thank you. I am Tetsuya Shigeta, Global Controller. Please turn to page 19. First, I'll explain the main changes in the core operating cash flow by segment year-on-year. Core operating cash flow increased by JPY 97.1 billion to JPY 658.1 billion. In Mineral and Metal Resources, core operating cash flow increased by JPY 64.4 billion to JPY 308.1 billion, mainly due to higher sales prices at iron ore operations in Australia and an increase in dividends received from Vale, even though sales prices declined at coal mining operations in Australia.
In Energy, core operating cash flow decreased by JPY 83.3 billion to JPY 123.2 billion due to a decline in oil and gas prices and decrease in dividends received relating to LNG projects. In Machinery and Infrastructure, core operating cash flow decreased by JPY 8.1 billion to JPY 78.7 billion. In Chemicals, core operating cash flow increased by JPY 26.7 billion to JPY 62.5 billion, which is mainly due to strong performance in chemicals trading and agriculture-related business. In Iron and Steel Products, core operating cash flow declined by JPY 0.2 billion to JPY 2 billion. In Lifestyle, core operating cash flow was JPY 19.8 billion, a year-on-year decline of JPY 0.7 billion. Innovation and Corporate Development achieved core operating cash flow of JPY 55.1 billion, a year-on-year increase of JPY 51.2 billion, mainly due to FVTPL gains, strong commodities trading, and good performance at ICT's core affiliated companies.
Core operating cash flow by other factors increased by JPY 47.1 billion to JPY 8.7 billion, mainly due to the absence of corporate pension contribution that impacted cash flow in the previous fiscal year. Page 20. I will explain the main changes in the profit by segment year-on-year. Profit for the year decreased by JPY 56.0 billion to JPY 335.5 billion. In Mineral and M etal Resources, profit decreased JPY 3.4 billion to JPY 179.9 billion due to factors such as exit and impairment losses at Moatize Coal and Nacala Infrastructure and the Caserones copper mine projects, along with the decline in the sales price at coal mining operations in Australia, which exceeded gains from higher sales prices at iron ore operations in Australia and the increase in dividends received from Vale.
In Energy, profits decreased by JPY 30.6 billion to JPY 27.2 billion due to factors such as decline in the prices of oil and gas, decrease in LNG dividends, and absence of deferred tax assets for Mozambique Area 1 recognized in the previous fiscal year, despite the recording of deferred tax assets associated with the reorganization of a group of U.S. energy subsidiaries. In Machinery and Infrastructure, profits decreased by JPY 43.5 billion to JPY 45.9 billion due to exit and impairments in Moatize coal mining and infrastructure business, losses incurred by U.K. passenger transportation business, and impairment loss at rolling stock leasing businesses. In Chemicals, profits increased by JPY 21.2 billion to JPY 43.5 billion, mainly due to strong trading performance in chemicals and agriculture-related businesses.
In Iron and Steel Products, profits decreased by JPY 2.6 billion to JPY 2.1 billion, mainly due to lower capacity utilization at plants during the first half of the fiscal year. In Lifestyle, profits decreased by JPY 19.3 billion to JPY 12.7 billion, mainly due to the impact of decline in dining out and purchasing demand at affiliated companies in food, retail, and fashion, and absence of reduction in corporate income tax burden related to the sale of shares of Recruit Holdings recorded in the previous fiscal year. Innovation and Corporate Development achieved profit of JPY 50.2 billion, a year-on-year increase of JPY 35.6 billion, mainly due to FVTPL gains, strong commodity trading, and good performance at ICT's core affiliated companies. Other factors such as expenses, interest, taxes, et cetera, which are not allocated to business segments, totaled a loss of JPY 26 billion. Page 21.
The table below shows the main factors influencing year-on-year changes in profit. Base profit increased by approximately JPY 61 billion, mainly due to FVTPL recovery along with the increase in stock price, increase in dividend recovered from Vale, and start of production of all Cameron LNG trains, despite the decrease in LNG dividends and decline in operating rate at Gestamp. Looking at resources related costs volume, as a result of cost reduction efforts in each project in energy, profit increased by about JPY 8 billion. On the other side, production decline at the MOECO Thai offshore field led to a volume-related profit decline of approximately JPY 28 billion.
Asset recycling resulted into a decline of approximately JPY 53 billion, mainly due to the absence of sale of Columbia Asia recorded in the previous fiscal year, despite a gain on sale of power generation businesses in North America and Fashion business. In commodity prices forex, profit decreased by about JPY 50 billion, about JPY 22 billion due to decline in the prices of oil and gas and coal, respectively. On the other hand, higher iron ore prices contributed to a profit increase of about JPY 56 billion. In forex, Australian dollar appreciation against U.S. dollar resulted to a decline in profit of about JPY 20 billion. Valuation gain and loss and special factors were reason behind the decline of about JPY 10 billion due to an impairment loss at Moatize Coal and Nacala infrastructure projects and impairment loss for Tempa Rossa oil field project.
Page 22, I will discuss about cash flow allocations. Core operating cash flow of JPY 660 billion was attributed to strong iron ore business trading and FVTPL gains. Combined with JPY 145 billion in asset recycling, the result was a total cash inflow of JPY 805 billion. Although there was delay in asset recycling versus the plan, sales of the North American power generation business, San-Ei Sucrochemica l, and Caserones copper mining business, and Fuji Pharmaceuticals were completed. On the other hand, we executed investments and loans totaling cash outflow of JPY 445 billion for LNG projects under development and oil and gas production projects. The total cash outflow, combined with JPY 65 billion in share buybacks and JPY 145 billion in dividends, brought total cash outflow of JPY 655 billion. Page 23. Now let's take a look at the balance sheet of the end of the current fiscal year.
Net interest-bearing debt decreased year- on- year by about JPY 200 billion to JPY 3.3 trillion, while shareholders' equity increased by about JPY 750 billion to JPY 4.6 trillion. As a result, net DER has dropped to 0.72 times. We will continue to strengthen our financial base through our cash flow allocation framework. Please turn to page 24. Although the ongoing COVID-19 extended downward pressure at the beginning of the fiscal year, our business performance began demonstrating a better-than-expected recovery during the second half in tandem with the strong recovery charted by the global economy. Notable contributions to quantitative and qualitative results were made by essential businesses such as trading, resources, power supply, and hospital businesses. Page 25. I will now describe the business plan for the core operating cash flow and profit by segment for the fiscal year ending March 2022.
Core operating cash flow is forecasted to amount to JPY 680 billion, an increase of JPY 21.9 billion year-on-year, due to a strong commodity market, primarily in the energy sector. Profit is forecast to be JPY 460 billion, an increase of JPY 124.5 billion year-on-year, due to the absence of business reevaluation, expecting recovery from the COVID-19 and strengthening the earning base. Page 26. The slide shows action plans for the year ending March 2022. We'll continue to sharpen our trading initiatives in Chemicals, Lifestyle, and Machinery Infrastructure, while strengthening initiatives responding to low-carbon society in multiple segments. Page 27. The following table compares the plan for the fiscal year ending March 2022 with actual results for March 2021, and shows the main factors expected to influence year-on-year changes. Base profit will increase by about JPY 20 billion.
This is mainly due to improvement of base profit in Lifestyle and Machinery and Infrastructure, which shows steady resilience recovered from COVID-19. Though there is absence of FVTPL gains recorded in the fiscal year ending March 2021. Resources related cost volume will lead to volume and cost-related profit decline by about JPY 3.2 billion, mainly by production decline at the MOECO Thai offshore field following the previous year. Looking at asset recycling, a decline of approximately JPY 7 billion is expected for the fiscal year March 2022, despite a gain of approximately JPY 6 billion by recycling. Commodity prices f orex will contribute to an increase of about JPY 43 billion, mainly due to increase in oil and gas prices. Valuation gain and losses and special factors will contribute to an increase of about JPY 101 billion, mainly due to absence of valuation losses recorded in the previous fiscal year.
That concludes my presentation. Thank you for your attention.
Now we'd like to start and entertain your question.
Thank you very much for the explanation. I have two questions I'd like to ask. About the shareholder returns. I believe it is a dividend of JPY 90 and JPY 50 billion has been added. I want to ask about the allocation of the returns. Originally, the earnings power has increased and that surplus has been given to the dividend. Of course, share buyback is also announced. Can you talk about the idea behind this increase? The volatility seems to be quite high, so the cash flow may change by JPY 100 billion or more. Are you thinking about pooling some of the surplus for the next year? How are you going to allocate the dividend or returns going forward?
I'm sure there are many different ideas that is possible, but with a high volatility market now, if you have any ideas of controlling the returns, please tell us. The second question, as the president explained, regarding CT Corp as well, but talking about Market Asia as a whole, you are going to focus on the Asian market. In the midterm, in non-resources, I have impression that the U.S. is doing well. Historically speaking, there has been failures in the Asia regions. Especially, you have worked with Lippo and it didn't go well in the past. With the alliance with CT Corp that has been announced, what is different from the past projects? What is giving you this idea for success? Can you talk about the strategy over Market Asia in addition, please? If you have any strategic comments, we would appreciate it. Thank you.
Thank you very much for the question. The first question is about returns, and the second question was about Market Asia. I'd like to ask Hori to answer those questions. Thank you.
Yes, thank you very much for the question. As for the first question about dividend and also about the share buyback. About the increased dividend for the past fiscal year and for this current fiscal year, and the minimum paid dividend will be increased as well. What led to this decision? We are in the midst of a recovery from COVID-19 pandemic, and we are looking at the increasing the base profit, and that is ongoing, and that has been confirmed, and that surplus will be allocated to the additional dividend. Looking at the world as a whole, how are we going to be on track for recovery to secure profit? That basics is something that we summarized and consolidated to come to this decision. When it comes to the market, of course, iron ore, it is at a record high at the moment.
On average, and also looking at the next few years, when it comes to recovery in the demand, what will be the normal that can be expected is something that we take into consideration. The upside from the market-
which is sometimes exceeding the normal. Also, portfolio reallocation, that is something different from the base profit perspective. Those will also be taken in to capital allocation. Therefore, with agility, we will work on capital allocation and also understanding the characteristics of the increases in the base profit. We will put investment into growth and also to allocate the surplus into the share buyback. With agility, we will make these moves so that we'll be able to have a total shareholders' returns level that can be elevated going forward. Basically speaking, from the previous Medium-Term Management Plan, we had a three-year period, and the rate of the share returns was something that we will reconsider in the current MTMP. We want to elevate it further. That is our basic thinking.
Of course, to make effective use of the capital and also to increase and raise our cash generation per share so that we will be able to have a higher value. That is something that we will focus on going forward as well. Capital effectiveness is something that we will focus on going forward. There are a number of parameters that need to be considered into making decisions. We would like to engage with you further to make the appropriate decisions going forward. As for the second question about CT Corp and about Market Asia. CT Corp, what they expect of us is that I am sure you are looking into CT Corp as we made the announcement, but in Indonesia, domestically, this CT Corp has been made by people from Indonesia, and they have grown this company to this scale.
Real estate, retail, finance, insurance, and media and digital. These are the fields that they're active in. Also, they have a TV station, terrestrial. Of course, in order to capture the growing consumer market in Indonesia, I think they are going to be a very strong partner. When we talk with CT Corp, the products or services that Indonesian people are going to welcome, and they say that many of them come from the outside. To procure from domestic Indonesia to outside can be difficult. These are some of the comments made by the CT Corp personnel. For example, in the U.S., in the healthcare-related fields, we have products or services that can be offered to people in Indonesia. These are the businesses that we may be linking. We'd like to understand Indonesia well with CT Corp.
That we will be able to secure products and services from outside of Indonesia to go into domestic Indonesia. This is where we can expect a synergy effect. CT Corp is working with professionals who are growing within Indonesia, and they are also growing the content. I think that is an area of collaboration that we can look into as well. I think you may be asking, what are the probability of success going forward? Of course, our portfolio is very, very strong, and Indonesia has been impacted by COVID-19 as well. The past year, they have shown a very strong downward resilience against the downward pressure, and that led to the deal announcement that we have made. Thank you very much for your question.
May I ask an additional question, please?
On a related note, in the past, you have looked at consumption businesses in the past, including Indonesia, but what were the reasons they did not go well, and what have you learned from it in order to lead on to this work of strategic alliance with CT Corp?
Of course, when it comes to CT Corp, what we can say is that online and offline, and to the growing consumer layer, we are able to offer different menu in terms of media and retail and also in banking area as well. We believe that we can work with CT Corp because they have a total platform that can connect them to different layers of the consumers. I think that is a kind of alliance that we can have with Indonesian corporation, and that can be a way to strategically move in Indonesia.
I think this is a different scale from the past projects that we have had. We will add functionality, and CT Corp is going to look for IPO that is going to lead to growth. Therefore, CT Corp strengths as an institution. I think that is a mission that we need to work on with this strategic alliance. In that trend, we believe that this is a unique project that we can work on. I hope I have answered your question.
Yes. Thank you very much. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Now next question.
Thank you for taking my question. Thank you for the presentation. I have two questions. First, President Hori took office as president, and this is the first time that you have this earnings report as president. During the tenure of the presidency, what is it that you want to achieve? That's the first question. Especially finance and the non-finance, which is related to ESG in both aspects, what are the challenges and issues that you have in mind, and how are you going to go about running the business? That's the first question. Secondly, the decarbonization or GHG impact, that is my second question. As was presented in slide, in 2020 GHG impact 34 million tons. That was the first time that you externally disclosed this figure.
In 2030, you are going to reduce the impact by half. From the point of view of reduction, what are the action plans that you have in mind currently, and what is the timescale that you have for that? This is not directly related to GHG impact, from the super long term, the asset that could be stranded for the oil gas assets, this is a risk for investors. How are you going to do the management of oil assets that you have? Can you answer those questions?
Thank you for the questions. The president will answer the questions.
Thank you for the questions. During the course of my presidency, what is it that I would like to achieve? This is to quite a limited time that I have, in this setting, I'd like to share one or two aspects with you.
First, under the pandemic, what I was struck most strongly is that including Japan and non-Japanese countries, there is no physical traffic or traveling done. In the field, how many local managers that can do the business in the field, that matters the most. That's what I thought important. The human resources acquisition and investment and development, that has been our focus. Because of that effort, we have been achieving what we have achieved in the last fiscal year and this fiscal year. Furthermore, how are we going to further elevate this level is something that we have to figure out in order to enhance our presence as a corporation and globally. That is one main issue that I have in mind.
In the field, if there are managers that are autonomous and that can make their own decisions in the group companies or the headquarters that we have globally, how we can enhance our capabilities as a company is a key question. There are many global issues that we have to tackle, and as we do so after the post-corona era, we have to do a good business and to do a value-added business. In order to do that, what is it that is necessary as a system? Well, because that we are during the pandemic, we can come up with something new. That's what I feel quite strongly. With regard to finance and non-finance aspects, what I would like to achieve, that is part of your question.
Financially, on a continued basis, the core business and the peripheral businesses around the core will be pursued solidly and energy transitions and broad-based healthcare. The healthcare in the broader definition will have to be monetized, and we have to create values, and we have to always stick with our mission to generate cash, and we have to enhance the management power in the local field. As you can see, we like to increase the businesses as business clusters in the core. What we have, if you drill down and deepen enough, then we can see what may not be so visible to others. How we can do this continuously would be a key question. As we do so, if we can create values and generate cash in a tangible manner, and that will be the key.
That would contribute to growth, investment, and shareholder return, and that would be the prerequisite for coexistence of both aspects, and that's how I would like to grow the company. Now, for the non-financial part. The global challenges that are becoming increasingly complicated with a larger number of parameters or variables. Be it climate change or supply chain, the whole supply chain, we need to do a good job, a solid job, and there are many challenges associated with that. We have to increase the number of tools that we can resort to. The breadth globally and inter-industry collaboration will be important, and diversity has to be secured in our group. That will be the key. There are many views, and you have to look at the business from various perspectives. Otherwise, you can't solve various challenges.
There are many business models and technologies globally that are available, and you have to have a good understanding of those that are available. In that sense, the overall trend toward ESG will be helping us increase our strengths, also enhance our presence, and also present opportunities for us. In this regard, in this context, the greenhouse gas emissions for our company is the second part of your question. In this chart, in the middle, in 2030, that's the target that we have for the reduction and transition and opportunity combination. For more details, in December, we are going to have ESG Day. We would like to give you more details. What is most important for the reduction by 2030 is the reshuffling of the portfolio that we have, that are ongoing.
How we can make it effective and economically viable, and shortest in terms of the timescale. That will be the key question. Part of some of our assets will be looked at, whether they will be economically viable, and part of those assets could be exited from. We are now in the process of negotiations or in the process of tapping into those assets. Once decided, we can make disclosure. There will be concentrated efforts in the first half of this fiscal year, probably, in this regard. At the same time, the assets that we have are actually serving as a mission-critical power supply for those countries that we are in. We have to be responsible for that.
As long as we are operating the businesses, if we can use new tools and assets, then we can reduce the GHGs, and that will be the responsible mission. Reshuffling a portfolio and enhancement of operations, the combination of those will also help us reduce the emissions in the first half. As for the stranded assets for oil-related ones, we will make sure that that won't happen. We have to make sure that there will be economic viability. At the same time, we have to maintain our responsibility in our approach. As we consider energy transition, we are an actual business operator, but we have to take leadership in the new era, and we have the potential to do that. We have to make sure that those will coexist.
To the global challenges, there will be action plans that need to be done, and we have to translate our actions into those action plans. That's how we have drawn this GHG emission roadmap, and that's how we intend to proceed. Does that answer your question? Thank you very much.
Yes.
Thank you very much. I have two questions I'd like to ask. The first question, for the fiscal year just ended, I'd like to just confirm the results. In the original plan, JPY 180 billion of profit was announced. There has been excluding one-time factors that has been excluded, and the result was JPY 420 billion. In other words, there is a difference of more than JPY 200 billion. Machinery, Infrastructure, these are the areas in which we saw an upside in the results. Is it coming from the resource market, or was the impact from COVID-19 smaller than you had expected? Did you see positives coming from the efforts you have made in the past? Reviewing the past fiscal year, what are the thoughts that you have about the results?
The second question is, for year ending 2023, March 2023, you have given us the target as a reference in Chemicals. Also in Lifestyle, for example, JPY 30 billion, JPY 20 billion, these are the profits projected to increase in these segments. Where do these increases in profits come from? You mentioned that you'll be working on strengthening core businesses, on page 12, you talk about the areas in which you can expect increases of profits. How will they be linked to those numbers that you have announced? If that can be explained, we would be appreciating that. Thank you.
Yes, thank you very much for the question. Hori would like to answer that question.
Yes. Thank you very much for the question. We announced the MTMP last year, and that was when the environment was very uncertain with the COVID-19 pandemic just starting.
I'd like to review the year from that point of view, so thank you for the question. Originally, the COVID-19 impact, we were expecting it to come to about JPY 200 billion for the company as a whole when we formulated the MTMP, and JPY 100 billion coming from the market and the other JPY 100 billion, totaling JPY 200 billion as an impact. For March 2021, it was about JPY 60 billion of impact that we had seen coming from COVID-19. For the market, we were expecting JPY 100 billion, but it ended at JPY 10 billion impact. The others. When it comes from the market, of course, we need to see the recovery in different countries, but the others are JPY 50 billion. That is coming from mainly taking in the recovery of the markets.
Fashion and distribution, where field is very important, these are the areas in which we are yet to see recovery. Looking back on the past year, in the first half, we thought the impact would be about JPY 200 billion. In the first half, the pace was pointing to so. However, the recovery started in China. In the U.S., we are seeing them going into recovery mode in many of the industries, and we were able to tap into that. That happened in the second half. That led to the macroeconomic figure that I mentioned earlier. To classify the impact is very, very difficult. The operation that we have been seeing has shown the numbers that I mentioned right now.
For March 2022, JPY 50 billion decrease had been seen, and whether that is going to disappear is something that we need to think about. Whether in the fiscal year ending March 2022, whether everything will recover fully is not sure. Some of them will be in the midst of recovery. We will make efforts with the pent-up demand so that we can see increases in the numbers, recovery in the numbers. Fiscal year ending March 2022 number are the mixture of all the factors that I just mentioned. For the fiscal year ending March 2022, the drivers is for Lifestyle, for example, we'll see recovery in the hospital, Healthcare area. In Fashion, of course, they are struggling now. However, compared to the previous year, including the food industry, we believe that it is going to recover in the current fiscal year.
Of course, in Machinery, especially in Asia, especially with automobile, we believe that the recovery can be expected in the fiscal year ending March 2022. When it comes to Chemicals, the operations where we are participating in the manufacturing, for example, methanol, this market perspective is going to be very important, and Novus market is improving as well. These are the drivers for the increases in the forecast for fiscal year ending March 2022. Does that answer your question?
Well, the second question was about the reference number that you have given for the next fiscal year. For this fiscal year and the next fiscal year, you believe there will be an improvement. For March 2022, in the non-resource three segments, you are looking for increased profits of JPY 20 billion and JPY 30 billion.
You are looking for recovery into next year, and you also talk about the efforts that you'll be making. Can you give us more explanation about these points as well?
Yes. Sorry, you were asking about the fiscal year ending March 2022. I did refer to that year as well, so I think that makes it easier to answer your question. For our fiscal year ending March 2022, as I mentioned earlier, there are negatives that we had seen as impact coming from COVID-19, but they will recover in that fiscal year. We will accumulate those profits. As reference, we have given a figure for each of the segments. These are the factors that are impacting those numbers. For example, Machinery and Infrastructure, FPSO, you are looking at gas distribution and also power generation. These main businesses is going to contribute to organic growth.
When it comes to Chemicals, agricultural related business clusters. These are the areas in which we are seeing growth. The affiliated companies, when we talk with them towards the next MTMP, they are saying that there is potential for growth for the next three years in the third year of the MTMP. When it comes to Lifestyle, we are looking at recovery in the food industries. When it comes to IHH, the hospitality-related companies, we believe that the results will grow in those areas. The profits in the normal situation and plus alpha are something that we are starting to see more clearly. These are the numbers added. These are, of course, our reference numbers, but we have added and accumulated them.
In the third year on the MTMP, I think we have changed the color and shown you the prospect or potential for growth. When we went into the MTMP at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I think the situation has changed and we now see the outlook more clearly going into the third year of the MTMP. We have reviewed and given color to those factors to come to the figures for the fiscal year ending March 2022. As I mentioned at the beginning with capital allocation, this is something that we have reshuffled. We have looked at the options that we have in front of us to come to these targets. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much for your explanation.
Next question.
Thank you for taking questions. There are two questions. First, the page 13, Energy Solution, is my question. As President Hori said, E nergy Solution, energy transition, will be the strengths of your company. Existing areas and next generation areas, what you would like to do are shown in this slide. By looking at those, various companies are mentioning something like this, how much of that will be made into profit with time scale and magnitude. In terms of profits of magnitude, at what timing can you generate the profit as a company? The second question is about next page 14, Healthcare. This diagram has been shown every time, you are putting together the strategies based on that, as I am aware.
If you look at the existing Healthcare business, what is the profit scale that you have, and how much growth that you're expecting for the period of Mid-Term Management Plan? Also, at this moment, for the investment in IHH, before you bought IHH or before you made additional investment, the equity that you used to have, and looking at the current status, what has gone as you expected, and what needs to be changed, and what is it that is changing your approach going forward?
Thank you for the questions. President will answer those questions.
Thank you for the questions. Energy Solution and Wellness, I'll like to explain one by one. For Energy Solution, I said that this will be opportunity for us. Why is this an opportunity? First of all, in the current existing businesses, and the major players in the global area that are going to be the major players, we're talking to them on a top-to-top basis. What will be the responsible transition? The approach toward transition in each of the countries and each of the regions, there are differences strategically, and you have to be well aware of that. There are technological advances and innovations with longer-term scale, or short-term ones that can produce solutions in a short-term period. The industry boundaries, the existing players and new entries, you have to distinguish between those and work with them and broaden your portfolio menu.
The ability that we can do that is important, we have to do that solidly. That's why we have come up with Energy Solutions Business Unit. In the previous Investor Day, the head of the Energy Solutions Business Unit made presentation. In the current business that they have, how much profit they can expect was shown. They have to be cautious about these figures. In the near term, what we have been doing, if you accumulate all these, what is coming out by 2030 would be JPY 20 billion. I think that's what the head said, if I remember correctly. On the backside of that is the new business models that we can see as we go along, and the new systems that will become visible at the same time.
For those, you have to make upfront investments with a longer-term horizon.
For the larger ones, we are going to transition too. That's how we are going to do this. That will be the different order of magnitude from the short-term ones as we tackle the global energy transition, because we won't be good enough if we don't do that. It takes some time, and that is no question. Talking about hydrogen, as you may have heard, technological innovation and infrastructure collaboration will be required to make it a reality, and competitive hydrogen sources, or the countries that have the sources and how we can translate them into actual demand. If the local production and local consumption can be achieved, that will be easier. If we have to go across the sea, you have to also take that into account in economic viability.
You have to broaden the partnership and geography and where we should take positions in order to make the business that makes sense. Therefore the profitability, opportunities, and scale that are coming out from the energy transition will have to go through the demonstration processes. We can talk about that to you. That is the kind of scale that we have to take into account, though. With regard to Healthcare, Nutrition, Agricultural business units, and Wellness Business Units in March 2021, as the numbers are shown in the data book. In the actual current business, there is a certain scale that we have achieved, but what we're aiming for going forward is much larger than that. We have to take more time to talk about the scale.
What I need you to continue to stay focused on is in the case of Healthcare around hospitals, you have to increase the near-term flow of the revenue. We have been doing various investments, so recycling and reshuffling of portfolio will be also pursued at the same time to generate cash. As we go along, we have to increase and enhance the current flow of the revenue. In the Healthcare business, the profitability may go up and down, going forward for some time, but that's the nature of the business model that we are engaged in, and I hope you would understand that. Especially in the case of IHH, you talked about the initial investments, but 15,000 beds is the scale that IHH Group has achieved, which is quite a scale.
Post-corona, the high value-added treatment that can be provided in the hospitals and prevention of diseases and pre-disease treatment at home are being integrated. That is a transformation that we are seeing and that should be captured, and this is important. The longest-term healthcare fee would be taking the data and sort them out, and security, anonymization, and compliance with the regulation, those will be taken into account. As you can see in the first diagram, we have to be able to be contributing to various fields in our businesses. As the largest shareholder of IHH, when we look at those projects, we have to make sure that those projects will be a win-win for all stakeholders. This will be big value in the future. In our group, excellent team has been assigned with this. Does that answer your question?
Yes, thank you.
You talked about IHH and Wellness strategies. Thank you for that. There's one follow-up question. In 2018, you made additional investments, and in March 2019, you made additional investments after the acquisition. What are the new challenges that you have realized by holding on to IHH? What needs to be changed that you have as an issue?
It's not the new issues that we have come to realize, but this is the issue that we have thought of all along. If there are hospitals across the countries and going beyond the national borders, the way you run the hospitals and distribution of resources and the hospitals' management resources are divided. Because of the national borders, they become inefficient. We have to enhance the business efficiency because we have this in a group. Data collection is one key point in this regard.
As a shareholder, we have to make a contribution. From that perspective, how we can take this IHH group and concentrate and centralize the resources of the management resources of the hospitals, including the concentration and centralization of purchasing, and how we can make sure that this will go in a systematic manner to
enhance efficiency of hospital operation. There is much room for growth. That's what I have realized, and this is one of the opportunities instead of challenges. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much for taking my question. My first question, if we could look at page 12, as the previous person asked about the timeline for the plan going forward, of course, management resources and strategic focuses were explained. Long-term contribution to profits that can be expected from the various projects are listed on page 12. When it comes to allocation of management resources going forward, the strategic focus and the timeline, I do understand the balance between the two. When it comes to the timeline going forward, what is management allocation going forward with the resources that you have for the long-term projects?
There may be some risks going forward, and the risks may be raised going forward. How are you going to balance those factors going forward, is my first question. The second question, related to the pipelines in the core businesses and the scenario that you have drawn, the business portfolio will be enhanced and quality to be enhanced. These are the two pillars that you'll be working on. When we look to the future too, instead of achieving good quality projects going forward, would you be focusing on the current projects when it comes to solution businesses, the downstream projects, improving those projects will be something that you'll be focusing on. Is that correct? Can you talk about the asset recycling, which has gone down in number?
Mozambique and Caserones, I think these were the two projects that you have mentioned that were the factors for the asset recycling. Going forward, what will be the asset reshuffling that you'll be seeing? Can you talk about the trend going forward with the core businesses? Thank you.
Yes, thank you very much for your question. Hori would like to answer those questions.
Yes, thank you very much for your question about the timeline and about the results achieved from these projects that we have outlined. Referring to page 12, these are the core main projects that we'll be working on. For example, the Collahuasi the additional interest in Collahuasi was announced, and I think this is something that we can see results immediately. FPSO, and also gas-fired power.
These are the projects, the pink dots, I think these can give immediate results, and that is going to add to additional profit. When it comes to Nutrition, for example, agriculture-related businesses, that is going to lead to increased food production, and we are going to have small to mid-sized acquisition that is going to result in business clusters, and we believe these are going to give immediate results. As I mentioned earlier, in the strategic focus, they are long-term focuses as well. In the strategic focuses, they are short-term as well as long-term. We'll be combining these two going forward. When it comes to Healthcare, we will reshuffle the portfolio so that we will have profitability. Asset recycling is going to lead to financial results, and these are something that we want to make visible.
I believe that is a portfolio management that we need to pursue. Investment gain, FVTPL, for example, this is very difficult to budget. However, we want to make it a healthy investment. We hope that it will be included in a healthy manner in our financial results. Cash generation and portfolio reshuffling is something we are going to want to combine together going forward for healthy management. When it comes to asset recycling and improvement in the quality, what is our perspective as a whole, I think was your question. FVTPL, I mentioned just now, and in addition to that, the GHG reduction, we are going to change the portfolio going forward. The thermal portfolio is a transaction that we'll be working on going forward, and that, I believe, is a possibility, and we are tapping into that at the moment.
Portfolio will be reshuffled in asset recycling purposes. On the other hand, we need to improve the quality of the current businesses, the core businesses that we know very well.
Horizontally, there are areas in which people find difficult to access, but where we can. These are the areas that we want to focus on. In that sense, they may be areas of investments going forward. Some horizontal operation of the businesses and also improving quality of the current businesses is going to be very important. If we can secure talent that can work on these areas, I think this will be possible. We will be proactive to do so. With that kind of thinking, we will manage the whole picture, and we will come to the capital allocation vision that we have announced in the MTMP. Thank you. Did that answer your question?
Yes, thank you very much.
Thank you very much. Next question, please.
Thank you for taking my question. There are two questions.
Firstly, the Market Asia and cash generation is the first one. Previously, including IHH investments, I think you've been making upfront investments. EV, enterprise value, has been enhanced for IHH, cash recovery has not been as much as we expected. Then you are making upfront investments in CT Corp. For the next few years, you are talking about the balance of investments and cash generation in Asia Market. Are you going to continue to do upfront investments? In Asia, you're going to also pursue cash generation and recovery of the returns? If you can just focus on Asia and give me the answer, that would be appreciated. That's the first question. The second one is the Mozambique LNG. Because of terrorist attacks, Total has declared force majeure, it may be delayed by one year or so.
Your basic policy for Mozambique currently, and if possible, what will be the impact on the finance and current schedule and exposure that you may take? If you have something in mind in terms of risk factors, if you can disclose that would be appreciated.
Thank you for the question. The president will answer the questions.
Thank you for the questions. For the Market Asia, it is true that IHH and CT Corp are the ones that we've made investments one by one after another, and the timeline is a bit longer. Of course, it is natural that you ask questions about cash generation, so I need to focus on that. In the case of CT Corp, this is going to be a long-term one, because for the longer term, we believe that this company will grow.
The way you enter the market or enter into this business is something that requires and warrants caution. There's foreign investment regulation, and buying shares immediately would be a difficult one, objectively. We have the convertible bonds with conversion rights. That's the way we enter into that, with a downside protection. At the same time, we have to make sure that the business model of CT Corp will become more robust. By that, in so doing, we make contribution. This, I believe, will lead to a higher quality IPO. We can also convert the bonds into shares regardless of the regulation. Also, through potential IPO, we can make sure that there will be a higher liquidity, and holding on to the bonds.
During the period of holding on to the bonds, the coupon is taken into budget, we can also offset investments through that to some extent. Ultimately, with the liquidity, we will make sure that there will be profitability in the future from this business. At the same time, as I said earlier, the content introduction from outside of Indonesia, when it comes to that, in investments in CT Corp, outside of the investments in CT Corp, we are working with CT Corp or with a third party to establish a profitability foundation. That is a highly probable proposition. In that sense, convertible bonds that we made investment into will be used as a leverage to take in the profitability from peripheral businesses. Ultimately, we would like to make sure that this will be profitable.
Of course, it takes time, but you have to have a broader perspective to ensure the profitability foundation. You also mentioned IHH. You have to enhance the value to increase the number of options for us and the dividends or the whole Healthcare portfolio reshuffling. Through all these, you have to generate cash, and that is something that we would like to achieve. In the case of Columbia Asia, the portfolio recycling was done. That was done in the same ecosystem. As you look at that, you can understand what we're going to do. The way the cash is going to be generated may be going through some up and downs, but we would be continuing with engagement with the investors and ask for your kind support in that.
With regard to the question on Mozambique, as you may have seen in the media reports, from the local sites, there was a town called Palma, 6 km away from the site. There was an attack on that. Completely, it was stabilized by the Mozambique Government. The Palma Government said that there's no problem anymore. We call this secure island in this energy project. This is an isolated area. We had been doing construction. Because of worsened security, together with Total, we made a decision to suspend the operation for the moment. Mozambique Government is working with neighboring countries to continue the stable security. They are taking every measure to make it stabilized. Once we see that there is safety ensured, we would like to resume the operation.
The Total, as an operator, and Mozambique Government, as a host country, we're working with those parties. It may take one year, that was mentioned by the Mozambique Government. In order to secure security, there may be a delay by one year. It was Total that has said that, not the Mozambique Government. We understand that's the way it was said. In the contracts with the operations that Total is engaging, part of that operation has gone through force majeure declaration, but the other operations are still ongoing, and the stakeholders are fully aware of the situation to restore the security. As there is news to share with you, we would like to do so. Right now, we are temporarily suspending the construction. Does that answer your question?
Yes. Everything is clear. Thank you.
We have a lot of questions. Because it is very close to the closing time, we would like to make the next question the last question for today.
Thank you very much. I would like to ask two questions, please. On page seven of the material, maybe it will be redundant with the questions referring to the PAT. For March 2023, JPY 650 billion is given as a core operating cash flow, and it shows that maybe there is a peak out. When it comes to cash generation, do you think it's sustainable for March 2023? You may be looking at gain from resources, but can you talk about this in detail, please? The second question is about page 17 of the material. It was asked earlier about the GHG impact for 2030. You are looking at 50 reduction.
Can you talk about the net emission towards 2030 and beyond? It shows that you're trying to make some contribution when it comes to emissions, and you are talking about 2 million tons of reduction contribution, and you talk about forestry and company-owned forests that is going to make contribution. Can you talk about this in detail, please?
Thank you very much for your question. Our president will answer your question.
Yes, thank you very much for your question. On page seven, for March 2023, as you can see, this is quite self-explanatory. The Mineral and Metal Resources, iron ore price, looking at the historical normalization, that is something that we are expecting to give this figure. I think oil will not change that much, but when it comes to the commodity market, how they'll be placed is going to change the numbers somewhat. We are not looking for a peak out, but we believe in the timeline. On the surfaces, how we will be able to gain the profit from the competitive market is something that we are focusing on. Therefore in the MTMP 2023, we will review the numbers, and the short-term outlook is being reflected in the numbers that we give.
When it comes to other businesses, in the commodity businesses, the cost will be reduced going forward. Machine and Infrastructure, Chemicals, and also Innovation, Corporate Development, and Lifestyle, these are the segments in which we would like to increase the base profits going forward every year. That is going to be very important, and we believe that we will see certain results, concrete results, in the fiscal year ending March 2023. Your question on climate change, page 17. We talk about the transition, opportunity and transition. After the contribution that we make, the global GHG emission, that is going to result, and that is something that we are targeting. What each country is going to count officially, I think the consensus is now being formed.
Reflecting that consensus, we will update the numbers and the Scope 1, 2, and Scope 3 categories are the emissions that we'll be calculating. In order to answer your question, in the forestry industry and also in the food business. In the forestry business in Australia and also in Asia, we are trying to create a framework to calculate the contribution, and the reduction contribution comes to 2 million tons. These are the company efforts that we are going to make. We'll be disclosing these efforts and look at the overall balance, and we'd like to disclose the numbers going forward for your understanding. Thank you very much for your question. Does that answer your question?
Yes, thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much. We have more questions.
However, it is time to close this session, so we'd like to close this Q&A session. If you have questions, please contact the IR department of our company. We have an announcement to make. As you can see in the last page of the PowerPoint material, June 8th, we will have the Mitsui & Co. Investor Day. The details will be sent by email to all of you, and we are looking forward to your participation in that Investor Day. Thank you very much.
With that, we'd like to close the conference call for fiscal year ended March 2021 and our business plan for fiscal year ending March 2022. Thank you very much for your participation today, despite your very busy schedule. Thank you.