| GLOBAL HOME | UP | SEARCH |

DOWNLOAD

Hitachi, Ltd. Acquires AccSys Technology, Inc to Expand Proton Beam Therapy Systems Business

Tokyo, Japan, May 29, 2002-Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501, NYSE: HIT, “Hitachi”) today announced that it has acquired an eighty percent(80%) stake in AccSys Technology, Inc., (AccSys) to expand its proton beam therapy systems business. Through the acquisition, Hitachi will apply AccSys's ion linear accelerator (linac) technology to its in-house developed proton beam therapy system (PROBEAT). The move will enable Hitachi to aim for the top share in this market. Proton beam therapy is a new type of cancer treatment. It is a localized form of radiation therapy, in which a proton beam is directed solely at a tumor lying deep within the body in order to destroy the tumor. When a proton beam is used to treat a tumor, the side effects are minimal compared with those of a conventional electron beam and X-ray radiation therapy. This is because the proton beam has little effect on the surrounding healthy cells and only the cancerous cells are treated. Compared with surgical treatment and chemotherapy, the strain on the patient is much less. Proton beam therapy is drawing attention worldwide as a promising application for the treatment of a variety of difficult-to-treat diseases. In the United States, this therapy became widely accepted in 2000 following its approval for insurance coverage that year. It also appears likely that it will be accepted for insurance coverage in Europe and Japan in the near future. Against this backdrop, Hitachi developed its own proton beam therapy system “PROBEAT,” and has delivered a system to the University of Tsukuba in Japan. The system has gained recognition for its high level of reliability. AccSys is the only commercial supplier in the world who has patented compact linac systems used for proton beam therapy. This product is incorporated into the synchrotron-accelerator as an injector for initial acceleration of the proton beam and also has applications in other devices , including neutron generators. By uniting AccSys's linac technology and its own sophisticated acceleration technology, Hitachi has succeeded in developing a proton beam therapy system that realizes a higher level of performance than conventional models. Hitachi is also supplying AccSys linac systems for other applications of this technology through its worldwide sales network. About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global electronics companies, with fiscal 2001 (ended March 31, 2002) consolidated sales of 7,993 billion yen ($60.1 billion*). The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment. For more information on Hitachi, Ltd., please visit Hitachi's Web site at http://global.hitachi.com. *At an exchange rate of 133 yen to the dollar. About AccSys Technology Inc AccSys Technology, Inc., headquartered California, USA, is the world's leading commercial supplier of ion linear accelerator systems based on state-of-the-art technology. Founded in 1985 as a design and manufacturing company, AccSys specializes in the development, production, installation and servicing of low-cost compact ion linear accelerator (linacs) using radiofrequency quadrupole (RFQ) linac and drift-tube linac (DTL) technology. AccSys is dedicated to using this position of leadership to provide the highest quality and most reliable commercial ion linac system to meet the needs of customers in medical, industrial and research applications. For more information on AccSys Technology, Inc., please visit AccSys's Web site at http://www.accsys.com.

WRITTEN BY Corporate Communications Division