Minebea's Manufacturing Subsidiary in China Starts Purchasing Green Electricity

The Shanghai Municipal Government awarded Minebea Electronics & Hi-Tech Components (Shanghai) Ltd. (hereinafter ¡°Shanghai Minebea¡±), a manufacturing subsidiary in China of Minebea Co., Ltd. (hereinafter ¡°Minebea¡±), as one of companies to participate in Shanghai Green Electricity Scheme on June 12, 2005 for purchasing 480,000 Kw/h of green electricity in the first year from Shanghai. A total of fifteen companies (including municipal organizations) were awarded at the ceremony held at Shanghai's Hongji Plaza. Green electricity is generated from natural energy, such as solar energy and wind power energy. Using green electricity would reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and contribute to prevention of global warming. As Shanghai faces the ocean, there are many places suitable for setting up wind-power plants. Shanghai Minebea is expected to receive electricity from the wind-power plant located in Fengxian District, Shanghai from July. About Shanghai Minebea In June 2003, Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau selected Shanghai Minebea as one of the eight exemplary companies that are totally committed to environmental protection in Shanghai. Also, in the same year, the State Environmental Protection Administration of China selected Shanghai Minebea as one of the Top 100 projects of national environmental protection (Shanghai Minebea was ranked fourth among the 77 companies selected). Minebea, the parent company of Shanghai Minebea, considers environmental preservation at all of its production bases worldwide to be a cornerstone of its management policy. Shanghai Minebea has likewise made an all-out effort toward environmental preservation since the start of its operations in October 1994. Especially because of its location near Lake Dianshan-hu, which is the principal source of drinking water for the residents of Shanghai, the manufacturing plants of Shanghai Minebea have advanced wastewater treatment facilities, which are equipped with automated monitoring systems, enabling 24-hour supervision of facility operations, to ensure flawless wastewater treatment. In 1996, Shanghai Minebea established the Shanghai-Minebea Lake Dianshan-hu Environmental Protection Fund (the amount of fund 11 million yuan or about 140 million yen) with the aim of helping preserve the quality of the water in Lake Dianshan-hu and the environment of the surrounding area. The activities of the Fund to date include helping promote greening programs in Shanghai such as planting cherry tree saplings along nearby highway and donating saplings to the Shanghai Sapling Center, and installing chemical toilets in local residences.