LAWSON and Japan Post Announce Comprehensive Business Alliance

2008/02/12

LAWSON, INC. ("LAWSON") and Japan Post Holdings Co., Ltd. ("Japan Post") today announced a comprehensive business alliance, as detailed below. The agreement was reached after deliberations by both companies of a new LAWSON proposal to effectively utilize each other's business resources.

1. Outline of the Alliance
LAWSON and Japan Post both have a strong focus on improving the level of convenience for customers and contributing to regional communities across Japan. The alliance will effectively leverage the business resources of both companies to achieve these goals while also improving the respective earnings of LAWSON and Japan Post.

2. Specific Measures

(1) The following matters, which make use of each company's social and network infrastructure, will be examined. These proposals will improve convenience for customers as well as maintain and enhance the postal service network.
A) The creation of a new business model for offering LAWSON products and services inside post offices.
B) LAWSON support for post office operations through the provision of functions such as product sales and services.
C) Using each company's real estate assets to open stores and post office branches with convenience store services.
D) The provision, consignment and joint development of each other's products and services.

(2) The feasibility of various joint measures to improve operating efficiency at both companies will be considered. These extend from store management and joint procurement of goods and services such as "gift" products to joint distribution and delivery, financial services such as ATM and use of personnel.

(3) Both companies will cooperate on implementing necessary measures to improve the quality of the Yupack Parcel service and the volume handled. These measures will be based on the results of past efforts in this regards.

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