The Japan Investor Relations Association Announces
its Seventeenth Annual IR Grand Prix

The Japan Investor Relations Association (JIRA, Chairman:

Shuzo Sumi, Tokio Marine Holdings,Inc. President), the only privately-run non-profit organization working for the proliferation andimprovement of investor relations (IR) activities in Japan, has announced the recipients of the 2012
Annual IR Grand Prix Awards. The IR Grand Prix (Committee Chairman: Masanobu Kaizu,Senior Research Fellow and Advisor, Nomura Securities Co. Ltd., Financial and Economic
Research Center) is designed to recognize those companies which have achieved successful results
and gained the support of the investment community for their strong understanding of and proactive
efforts to promote investor relations. This year marks the 17th year that the IR Grand Prix has been
held, and characteristics of the awards and their recipients are listed below.
○ Management takes discussions with analysts and investors into consideration in their internalmeasures to raise profitability and improve operations○ Top management continues to aggressively promote IR despite changes in their operating

environment○ IR division accurately assesses the interest of analysts and investors to devise and improve theirdisclosure of information and earnings announcement documents
Committee Chairman Masanobu Kaizu says that “the companies chosen for the IR Grand Prix are
keenly aware of the expectations of analysts and investors and promote measures to improveshareholder value despite the continued stagnation of Japanese stock markets.

Furthermore they

continue to improve their information disclosure to increase the level of trust of stakeholders.”Of

the members of JIRA, 294 publicly traded companies applied for screening in the 2012 IR GrandPrix. Of these companies, a total of 13 companies were selected for awards, including one for the
IR Grand Prix Award, six for the Best IR Award, four for the IR Special Award, one for the Best IRAward for Small to Medium Sized Capitalization Companies, and one for the Special IR Award for
Small to Medium Sized Capitalization Companies.

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Recipient, IR Grand Prix AwardOMRON Corporation
Recipients, Best IR Award
Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
Astellas Pharma Inc.
Eisai Co., Ltd.
ITOCHU Corporation
Lawson, Inc.
NIKON CORPORATION
Recipients, IR Special Award
Nabtesco CorporationOTSUKA CORPORATION
Park24 Co., Ltd.
TOTETSU KOGYO CO., LTD.
Recipient, Best IR Award for Small to Medium Sized Capitalization Companies
Wacom Co., Ltd.
Recipient, IR Special Award for Small to Medium Sized Capitalization Companies
SEPTENI HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Note: Companies above are listed in alphabetical order
Contact:
Japan Investor Relations Association
Yoshiko Sato, Chief Research Fellow
Shigeru Miyake, Chief Research Fellow
Kinuyo Hirano+81-3-5259-2676, Fax +81-3-5259-2677

About JIRAThe Japan Investor Relations Association (JIRA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1993.
JIRA is comprised of 594 members (as of October 31,2012) and conducts educational activities,
surveys, research, and provides opportunities for member companies to exchange information.
https://www.jira.or.jp/jira/jsp/usr/english/en1.html

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