May 12, 2016
Contact: Corporate Planning Dept.
Asahi Holdings
Sapia Tower, 1-7-12
Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo, Japan 100-0005+81-3-6270-1818
www.asahiholdings.com

Comments and advertisement are publishedon the report of Newsweek (US ver.) featuring Japan

Our president & CEO Mitsuharu Terayama was interviewed by Newsweek “SPECIAL ADVERISINGSECTION” pages featuring Japan. The interview appeared on Newsweek (US ver.) published on May 6,
2016. The following is extract of the relevant part of the report.
<Excerpt from the article>

Japanese firms’ eyes set on global markets
Executives at another Japanese giant, Asahi Holdings, came up with a dual-track businessmodel, one aimed at the domestic market and the other targeting overseas expansion,according to President and CEO Mitsuharu Terayama. The company’s already extensivemining and metal refining operations will take a further step toward globalization through a
new model of processing various materials to delivering the final product direct to theconsumer. “This will mean the whole chain is involved – which no other refining companies
are doing – in expanding our operations, so that Asahi becomes the world’s top refiningcompany,” says Mr. Terayama.

Industry leaders at core of Japan’s sustainability drive“Environmental issues are very important to us,” says Mitsuharu Terayama, President andCEO of Asahi Holdings, conveying a sentiment felt widely across the country and its
businesses. “I believe that the world’s interest in the environment has decreased somewhat
in recent years because of various political issues we are facing. The leaders of the worldmust take climate change into consideration more seriously.”
Following COP21 and the recommencement of the G7 environment ministers’ meeting thismonth, governments are beginning to catch on says Mr. Terayama, however he stresses that
it is vital for the private sector to set a good example too. Since its establishment in 1952 forinstance, Asahi Holdings has been recycling precious metals and has continually aimed to be
the foremost company in eco-business, working to develop technologies, products andservices, and leading other firms in activities to preserve the global environment.

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Aside from air pollution, one of the biggest environmental issues in Japan today is waste
management. Modern day cultures produce a lot of trash, and on a small island nation likeJapan, there is only so much room. Asahi Holdings, which specializes in waste disposal, is at
the forefront of tackling this problem, detoxifying and properly disposing all types of waste,and promoting the realization of a sustainable, recycling-oriented society.
“I believe that it is of the utmost importance as a business to be contributing to theconservation and improvement of the environment,” explains Mr. Terayama. “It is somethingwhich has been entrusted to us by the next generation, and we must not destroy it while it isin our hands.”

Changing demographic dynamics offer
Opportunities for business diversification“The life and health sector is one in which everyone should capitalize on, because there is a
global increase of health consciousness, as well as an aging society,” explains Mitsuharu
Terayama, President and CEO of Asahi Holdings, which is now diversifying into themanufacture of massage chairs and other healthcare equipment. “It has only been a year
since we started this business with the acquisition,” says Mr. Terayama. “The company that
we acquired has various channels within this sector, so we are now working to find and selectwhat healthcare products best fit the needs, and also make it profitable.”
In addition to pursuing growth, the decision to diversify was also driven by the desire toactively contribute towards the country’s demographic dilemma, adds the Asahi Holdings
chief. “Japan is suffering from a very bad fiscal state at the moment, one of the reasons is theincreasing amount of medical and social security costs that the government must burden
because of the aging population. If people become healthier, it will create less cost, so wewant to contribute to people’s health through our life and health business.”
Access to the whole report
http://www.theworldfolio.com/files/file/report-572ca6f6f070d.pdf
The report is based on the interview with Mitsuharu Terayama held November 2015
http://www.theworldfolio.com/interviews/with-clear-focus-on-creation-asahi-holdings-looks-totransform-the-precious-metal-business-operations/3847/