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Europe, Published date 21 April, 2008

European scientists to debate ageing society challenges at the 11th EU Hitachi Science and Technology Forum

Press Release European scientists to debate ageing society challenges at the th EU Hitachi Science and Technology Forum st April 2008 - Hitachi Europe Ltd. today announced that the 11 th EU Hitachi Science and Technology Forum will be hosted at Sheraton Arabellapark Hotel in Munich on 26 th and 27 th April 2008, bringing together European experts, Forum members, representatives from industry, NGOs and academia to debate the topic: Ageing Society and Technology”.

Dr Junzo Kawakami, Executive Vice President & Executive Officer of Hitachi, Ltd. (Forum chairman), and Sir Stephen Gomersall, Chief Executive Europe for Hitachi (Forum host) will introduce the Forum and welcome the participants.

Dr Heidrun Mollenkopf from Heidelberg University, member of AGE (The European Older People's Platform) Expert Group on Universal Accessibility and Independent Living and Professor Atsushi Seike from Keio University, the chairman of Policy Studies Group for the Aged Society, Cabinet Office in Japan and pioneer of the ageing society concept will address the Forum alongside other experts and discuss common social issues faced by Europe and Japan.

The delegates will also be divided into five Group Sessions supported by the following moderators: 1.”Health” by Vincent Rialle, Grenoble Hospital Center, University of Grenoble 2. “Social Inclusion” by Sandra Huning, Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities 3. “Knowledge & Experience Sharing” by Guido Bognolo – Confederation of European Senior Expert Services 4. “Productivity / Autonomy” by Mariangels Fortuny, International Labor Organization 5. “Mobility” by Ann Frye, Ann Frye Ltd

The discussions and conclusions of the Forum will also be published and distributed to the European Commission, members of the European Parliament, relevant authorities in member states of the European Union, journalists, universities and Hitachi’s partners in Europe.

Sir Stephen Gomersall commented: “We are delighted to host the 11 th EU Hitachi Science and Technology Forum and to be part of the policy-making process in Europe. Hitachi has a strong focus on how technology can inspire life. The issue of how technology can help and support the older generation is of key concern to society both here and in Japan.” About the “EU Hitachi Science and Technology Forum” The annual EU Hitachi Science and Technology Forum provides a platform where the impact of new technologies on European civil society can be discussed and assessed. The main objective is to influence policies to improve the daily life of European citizens. The synthesis of these debates is then compiled into an annual publication, widely distributed in Europe. This report is one of Hitachi’s key contributions to the European public policy debate. Previous forums have been hosted in Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Hungary, Sweden, Poland, Greece and France. For more information on the 2008 programme: www.hitachiforum.eu About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 384,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2006 (ended March 31, 2007) consolidated sales totaled 10,247 billion yen ($86.8 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.

The members of the press are welcomed to the Forum. For security reasons, please bring your accreditation pass for the duration of the event.

For more information and accreditation pass requests:

Hitachi Contact : Stéphane Dupuis Hitachi Corporate Office, Europe +32-2-643-4888 stephane.dupuis.he@hitachi.com Press Contact: Patrick Evans/Ewan Robertson Citigate Dewe Rogerson +44-20 7282 2913 ewan.robertson@citigatedr.co.uk