Hitachi, Ltd. is initiating a system of labeling products with environmental impact 
information.  Under the new system, products sold in Japan that have a superior 
environmental rating will carry an indication mark as well as pertinent environmental data. 
 The new system will be first applied to the company's new models of PCs scheduled to 
be launched in December 1999.

As part of a commitment to develop green products, in 1994 Hitachi drew up a set of 
standards for assessing products in terms of decreased use of resources, recyclability and 
ease of disassembly.  In the same year, the company developed and implemented the Life 
Cycle Assessment (LCA), Disassemblability Evaluation Method (DEM) and 
Recyclability Evaluation Method (REM).  As of April 1999, these design tools have been 
used to develop a total of 62 green products.  For the new system, products will be 
evaluated based on a set of criteria for assessing product design in terms of 
environmental compatibility.  A product that receives a high assessment score will carry 
a special mark and relevant environmental data, indicating to consumers that it is a green 
product.

The assessment criteria, which were drawn up in March this year, incorporate Design for 
Environment (DFE) concepts, adding long service life and product information 
disclosure items to the earlier set of standards.  The result is a system capable of 
assessing a product's reduced environmental impact based on the product's overall life 
cycle, and to provide consumers with relevant environmental information.  The new 
system will be applied to all the products of the Hitachi Group.

Hitachi will continue to provide society with products and technology that take the needs 
of the environment into full consideration, as part of its commitment to being a company 
in harmony with the environment.