Since its establishment, NSG's largest shareholder had been the American company LOF. Although LOF later reduced its shareholding-for example by making transfers to other companies and not underwriting capital increases-this position did not change, and LOF still had a 15% share as of March 1970. However, earlier that year, LOF had begun to sound out the possibility of selling its shares in order to finance the acquisition of overseas business. Because the US government's strategy at that time was to protect the dollar and prevent American capital from being taken abroad, our company understood and accepted LOF's situation. LOF transferred 5% of its shares to other companies in April 1972, and the remaining 10% in July 1978. Even after the transfer, the two companies continued to work together as before, expanding their partnership to include various collaborations in the US.