14-Environmental Companies & Green Company Summary-September 1995

1. Ebara's Environmental Conservation Activities
Ebara aims to build a "circulatory symbiotic society" by treating waste as a resource and promoting environmental conservation activities. In 1993, they achieved the complete elimination of specific CFCs and established environmental conservation guidelines in 1994. The company is also developing internal systems in anticipation of ISO14000 compliance and plans to continue reducing environmental impacts.

2. The Environmental Research Institute of Shin Nihon Weather & Ocean
In 1995, Shin Nihon Weather & Ocean established the Environmental Research Institute, which provides environmental assessments and numerical analysis, contributing to the enhancement of Japan's environmental data. The establishment of this institute is expected to significantly expand the environmental business market, which is projected to grow to 500 billion yen by 2010, approximately four times its current size.

3. Partnership with AEA Technology
Ebara has partnered with the UK-based AEA Technology to strengthen environmental audits and waste management consulting for businesses. This partnership is expected to align with the development of the ISO14000 series standards and aims to secure several dozen contracts in its first year. International cooperation in the field of environmental auditing is anticipated to advance through this collaboration.

4. Growth of the Environmental Business Market
Japan's environmental business market is expected to expand to 500 billion yen by 2010. The increase in environmental consulting firms is driving demand for environmental measures and assessments. The establishment of Shin Nihon Weather & Ocean's Environmental Research Institute is expected to play a major role in this market expansion.

5. AIU Insurance's Environmental Liability Insurance
AIU Insurance offers environmental liability insurance as part of corporate risk management. This insurance represents a new initiative in Japan's non-life insurance industry, with information provision related to environmental management and audits being advanced. The demand for insurance products that address corporate environmental risks is expected to grow.

6. Heisei Riken's Environmental Consulting
Heisei Riken, which designs environmental countermeasure plants and manufactures water treatment chemicals, is also expanding its environmental assessment and consulting business. The company is leveraging its technical capabilities to strengthen its presence in the environmental sector and provide comprehensive environmental solutions to more companies.

7. Japan Research Institute's Waste Management Market
Japan Research Institute has launched an Onsite Incubation Consortium to establish a private-led advanced waste management market. The consortium aims to build an integrated waste management system and contribute to the advancement of waste management practices. This initiative is expected to enhance the efficiency of corporate waste management.

8. Deutsche Bank's Environmental Business
Deutsche Bank emphasizes environmental issues and has indicated plans to strengthen its environmental measures in future business development. The bank aims to take a leadership role in the environmental sector and promote sustainable societal practices. This initiative is expected to increase the bank's influence in the international environmental business arena.

9. Mercedes-Benz's Environmental Measures
Mercedes-Benz has developed kits to eliminate CFCs and replace them with alternative CFCs to protect the ozone layer. The company is also dedicating one-third of its research budget to environmental measures, actively engaging in environmental conservation activities. These efforts contribute to the development of environmentally conscious automotive industries and enhance corporate image.

10. Eitai Credit Union's Citizen Entrepreneurship Loan
Eitai Credit Union provides citizen entrepreneurship loans to support businesses related to the environment and health. The union offers up to 10 million yen per loan to support socially significant businesses, contributing to the development of local communities. This initiative is expected to further promote the activities of citizens and companies addressing environmental issues.

#2 MIC Corporation Green Restoration and Conservation August 1999

MIC Corporation is an environmentally creative venture company that aims to restore the natural environment. Since its establishment in 1988, the company has been working to restore the natural environment of forests and waterways in Japan and abroad. The company's efforts focus on restoring the environment to its original state by growing plants that were originally native to the area and planting trees. In particular, the company practices Professor Akira Miyawaki's ecological method of construction, and has been involved in vegetation surveys and designs at over 300 locations. Furthermore, in partnership with German technology, the company has introduced “vegetated revetments,” in which waterfront revetments are naturally formed by plants, thereby contributing to environmental preservation. The company is receiving an increasing number of orders from government agencies and will continue to be looked to as a leader in natural environment restoration.

#1 Deregulation of Electricity Retailing and the Challenge of Japan Electric Power Company - July 2000

With the partial liberalization of electricity retailing in 2000, Nippon Denryoku Co., Ltd. developed a new business of selling electricity using cogeneration systems. The founder, Katsuzo Iijima, was the first person to introduce cogeneration in Japan, and the company is reinventing itself based on his track record and beliefs. The company's business model is to install power generation equipment using diesel engines and other technologies on the client's premises and provide the power and heat energy, and its strength is that it can reduce the cost of conventional electricity by approximately 40%. In addition, the energy efficiency of cogeneration is extremely high at 70~80%, compared to 30% for conventional power systems, enabling significant cost savings for clients. Nihon Denryoku mainly targets hospitals and factories, and expects to achieve sales of 600 million yen by the end of the fiscal year, with the goal of further expansion and listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in the future.