Employees of public organizations and many private companies experienced the last business day of the century in various ways across Japan on Thursday.

Workers at Snow Brand Milk Products Co., which caused massive food poisoning this summer, were busy paying yearend respects to clients.

A 50-year-old male employee of the company's Osaka branch in Yodogawa Ward reflected on the past year, saying: "It was a hard year. All we can do is try hard to regain the public trust."