CEATEC JAPAN 2004 to Commence in October: ``Ubiquitous Society -- Digitally Enriched, Accelerating to the Next Stage''; Overseas Visitor Pre-Registration Now Open.

TOKYO -- The CEATEC JAPAN Organizing Committee has announced that CEATEC JAPAN 2004 will be held at Makuhari Messe (Nippon Convention Center) in Chiba Prefecture for the 5-day period from October 5 to 9, under the sponsorship of the Communications and Information network Association of Japan (CIAJ), the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) and the Japan Personal Computer Software Association (JPSA).

Against the backdrop of the expanding, ubiquitous society, CEATEC JAPAN has designated 2004 its year of "acceleration." Reflecting this, the theme for CEATEC JAPAN 2004 will be "Ubiquitous Society -- Digitally Enriched, Accelerating to the Next Stage."

In the fifth staging of CEATEC JAPAN, the 2004 exhibition, as a "forum for the announcement of new technologies and products," will enhance its distinctiveness and convey messages with strong significance for global industries related to information technology (IT) and electronics.

Among the various activities CEATEC JAPAN is implementing to improve its global information diffusion capabilities is a public relations alliance formed this year with International CES, the consumer electronics show sponsored in the United States by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). CEATEC JAPAN is also reinforcing its PR alliance with the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, and its mutual cooperation with electronics-related exhibitions in Asia. Further partnership initiatives are being actively pursued with other IT exhibitions in the West, all in an effort to raise the brand strength of CEATEC JAPAN to a par with shows such as International CES and IFA.

The CEATEC JAPAN Conference, source of this exhibition's wealth of information, will once again feature Keynote Speeches by top corporate executives and opinion leaders from throughout the industry. This year's program will kick off on Tuesday, October 5, with speeches from Kunio Nakamura, President of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., and Kunitake Ando, President and Global Hub President of Sony Corporation. A total of 22 Keynote Speeches by key industry spokespeople from around the world have been scheduled through Friday, October 8. Furthermore, under the theme of "Ubiquitous Society, Expanded by Digital," a speech will be given by Katsuji Ebisawa, President of NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), and the 3rd Japan-U.S. Broadband Forum, a panel discussion, will be held. This forum, sponsored jointly by industry associations in Japan and the United States, was held for the first time in January 2004 at International CES in Las Vegas, and for the second time in June at SUPERCOMM in Chicago.

Other Conference highlights include approximately 160 programs focusing on every area of the IT and electronics industries. Trend Sessions will introduce the latest IT and electronics topics, while Special Sessions will cover a wide range of subjects. Topic-specific information will be available in programs such as the Software & Solutions Track, Information Systems Track and Communications Network Track, and individual exhibitors will showcase their unique technologies, products and services in exhibitor presentations and seminars. Visitors can participate free of charge in every program in the CEATEC JAPAN Conference, and English-language, simultaneous interpreting will be available at each of the 22 Keynote Speeches.

Among the Special Exhibits held by the sponsors of CEATEC JAPAN 2004 will be a demonstration of inter-equipment connectability, a particularly important topic in the age of de facto standards, as well as a report on standardization activities in Japan and presentations highlighting information accessibility activities, which aim to allow anyone, regardless of their age or physical capabilities, enjoy the advantages of IT.

There will also be corners introducing the latest trends and achievements of IT in industry, society and the home, and, following on the start of terrestrial digital broadcasts in Japan's three major metropolitan areas in December 2003, an exhibit focusing on satellite, terrestrial and cable television broadcasting trends and the opening of the digital broadcasting age.

In a first for CEATEC JAPAN, an exhibit will be held of automated identification technologies, such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), including examples of actual applications, and prospects and issues into the future. Another special corner will introduce the 11th World Congress on ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems), which will commence on October 18 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

In addition to strengthening its information diffusion capabilities, CEATEC JAPAN 2004 is reinforcing activities designed to create new business opportunities. To this end, a special corner will be devoted to supporting the business activities of both foreign and domestic companies.

With the goal of enhancing the efficiency and convenience of visiting the Electronic Components, Devices & Industrial Equipment Stage, this stage will be divided into 10 specific zones according to the main technologies/products highlighted by each exhibitor.

A special theme has also been created for the Electronic Components, Devices & Industrial Equipment Stage -- "Electronic Components and Devices: Providing Innovation for Creation." Under this theme, the stage will blossom as a showcase of Japan's leading technological capabilities, and special activities will be held directly linked to business opportunities. Other special programs in this stage will include an electronics workshop for visitors and corners introducing JISSO case studies, highlighting electronic components and devices for automobiles, and supporting technological information interchange between the industry and academia.

As of July 21, a total of 530 companies and other organizations, including 211 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions worldwide, have registered to exhibit in 2,644 booths at CEATEC JAPAN 2004. The organizers forecast approximately 700 exhibitors and 2,700 booths on Opening Day, representing an increase in both the number of exhibitors and the exhibition scale from a year ago. The organizers also forecast an increase in the number of visitors, which reached about 190,000 in 2003.

Pre-registration for overseas visitors to attend CEATEC JAPAN 2004 and Keynote Speeches can now be made at the official CEATEC JAPAN website. Entrance to the exhibition is free of charge for pre-registered visitors.

This year, CEATEC JAPAN is adopting the "Edy" electronic money system into its visitor pre-registration system. As a result, visitor ID badges will be issued automatically to pre-registered visitors at entrance gates.

Also, pre-registered visitors will receive a weekly e-mail magazine to stay up to date on this year's topics and trends.

Multilingual information about the exhibition is also available on the official website. In addition to Japanese and English, introduction pages have been prepared in Chinese, French, German, Korean and Spanish. Visit the official CEATEC JAPAN website for details (http://www.ceatec.com).