29 February, 2016Showa Holdings Co., Ltd.
Mamoru Shigeta,Representative Executive Officer and Managing Director(Code 5103 Tokyo Stock Exchange)
Contact: Tomohiko Shoji, Executive Officer(Tel: 04-7131-0181)

The business matchmaking conference
for rubber related companies held in Vietnam.
～SHOWA RUBBER (Vietnam) CO., LTD.～On 19 February 2016, together with great supports from Vietnam Rubber Association andthe Ho Chi Minh City Plastic Rubber Association, Showa rubber (Vietnam) CO., LTD.,
which was established last year as one of the group subsidiaries, hosted the businessmatchmaking conference for rubber related companies in Ho Chi Minh City.
Mr. Tatsuya Konoshita (※), a CEO of Showa Holdings Co., Ltd. which is our parent
company outlined group’s all businesses and expressed strong business commitments inVietnam market. We received many questions, interests and even offers of business tie-ups
from its participants for rubber business. We are willing to tie up with various rubber
related companies in the aspects of technologies, quality, marketing and distribution to
expand business together not only in Vietnam but all throughout Asia.

(※) Mr.Tatsuya Konoshita had been interviewed by Saigon Entrepreneur, and the article
has been published on No.365 (4-10 November, 2015). Please refer to the following URL.

Original article in Vietnamese
http://www.doanhnhansaigon.vn/tro-chuyen/tatsuya-konoshita-nha-dieu-hanh-di-khap-the-gian/1092823/

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The conference was featured on many local media in Vietnam.
1. Đại đoàn kết:http://daidoanket.vn/kinh-te/co-hoi-hop-tac-giua-cac-dn-cao-su-viet-nam-va-nhat-ban/88518
2. Thời báo kinh doanh:
http://thoibaokinhdoanh.vn/Ket-noi-kinh-doanh-52/Co-hoi-hop-tac-moi-cho-cac-DN-cao-suViet-Nam-va-Nhat-Ban-21672.html
3. Báo Tiền phong:http://www.tienphong.vn/Kinh-Te/co-hoi-hop-tac-moi-cho-dn-cao-su-viet-nam-va-nhat-ban971330.tpo
4. Viettimes:
http://viettimes.vn/kinh-doanh/tpp-la-co-hoi-vang-cho-nganh-cao-su-viet-40122.html
5. Báo công thương:http://baocongthuong.com.vn/co-hoi-hop-tac-moi-cho-doanh-nghiep-cao-su-viet-nam-nhatban.html

Below is the translation of article 3. Báo Tiền phong＊＊＊＊＊＊New cooperative opportunities for Vietnamese and Japanese rubber companies
A conference to strengthen exchange, cooperation and business opportunities in Vietnam’srubber industry was organized on February 19th in Ho Chi Minh City. The event, co-hosted
by the Vietnam Rubber Association, the Ho Chi Minh City Plastic Rubber Association withShowa Rubber Vietnam Company under Japan’s Showa Holdings Group, attracted theparticipation of leaders of the associations and nearly 100 rubber traders in Vietnam.
Currently rubber is one of major export items and contributing to GDP growth in Vietnameconomy. Rubber industry does not bring much added value but can play a big role in social
security and give positive impact on national budget solving employment issues for manylabors.

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Vietnam’s rubber industry is awaiting major advantages from Free Trade Agreements,
especially the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). As Vietnam joins TPP, the country will
benefit from the removal of the current 3.5%-57.4% tariff to enjoy the preferential rate ofzero percent, helping the industry improve its competitive capacity. This is considered agolden chance for the industry to develop in both quantity and quality.
However, the biggest challenges for the industry are now unstable and unequal quality,
and the lack of a strong brand name. Only a few big enterprises have their own brand,
while the Vietnamese rubber trademark has not gained wide trust among consumers athome and abroad. Therefore the conference offered opportunities for Vietnamese companies
to meet, share and resolve existing difficulties of the industry in order to enhance
productivity and promote cooperation on investing in and producing rubber products.

At the event, Vietnam’s rubber traders had opportunities to approach and study theexperiences of Japan’s leading rubber group Showa Holdings in innovating technology, as
well as introducing cooperative directions for the future such as processing rubber products
for Japan in Vietnam, or for Showa Holdings to become a distribution agent of Vietnameserubber products in Japan and other countries.
In his speech at the event, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Anh, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh city
Plastic Rubber Association, shared that recently the Government has had policies to speedup supporting industries in Vietnam, and the city set rubber among the four key industries
to support the development of other industries.
However, supporting industries require big investment from companies. On the contrary,less-developed supporting industries make foreign investors hesitate to invest in Vietnam.
In addition, Vietnam’s small and medium-sized enterprises now lack information,technology and stable quality management system.

The conference brought practical results for rubber businesses by providing information,
experiences and opportunities to promote cooperation and attract investment in expanding
production, increasing orders and developing exports.
The association said Showa Rubber Vietnam Company planned to seek Vietnamese
producers to process its traditional products in Vietnam, as well as to cooperate indeveloping new products. These are expected to be new step further intensifying
sustainable development for Vietnam’s rubber industry in the near future.
＊＊＊＊＊＊End3