TOKYO, Japan, February 28, 2008, -- Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (TSE: 7911),Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT / TSE:6501), and Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4217) today announced that they have jointly developed the world’s first "RFID Crystagram" (patent pending) label, which combines a hologram (*1) with a contactless IC chip. Toppan Printing has commercialized the RFID Crystagram and sales began on March 4, 2008.

Currently, counterfeiting and illegal distribution of many brand goods and other products continues throughout the world and it has become a serious problem for international society. In response to theses crimes, countermeasures have been introduced in each country and industry but cutting-edge technology is always required for the prevention of counterfeiting and illegal distribution.

Developed jointly by the 3 companies and commercialized by Toppan Printing, the RFID Crystagram is a label with which one of the world’s smallest contactless IC chips, the µ-Chip (*3) developed by Hitachi, has been incorporated into Toppan Printing’s original "Crystagram" (*2) hologram by employing Hitachi Chemical’s mounting technology.

By affixing the RFID Crystagram to brand goods and various other products, a visual counterfeiting check is possible with the Crystagram and it is also possible to trace products through production and distribution using the µ-Chip. This means that prevention of counterfeiting and illegal distribution as well as effective management and traceability are possible with just a single RFID Crystagram. The use of de-metallization, whereby the Crystagram can be processed into a detailed form, enables the design of the RFID Crystagram to be freely devised. Additional components such as an antenna are not required since the Crystagram’s aluminum deposition section acts as the µ-Chip’s receiving antenna for radio waves. Therefore, the RFID Crystagram has extremely high design quality and can be used to enhance a product’s image.

Toppan Printing is actively engaging in sales aimed at manufacturers that handle domestic and overseas luxury brand goods and at industries such as food and medicine where safe distribution is required. Hitachi will provide services such as system construction using RFID Crystagrams as "Traceability/ RFID Solutions".

The RFID Crystagram was exhibited and presented in the Toppan Printing booth at IC Card World 2008 (held at Tokyo Big Sight from March 4 (Tue) to 7 (Fri), 2008 and sponsored by Nikkei Inc.).


Background
-Currently, counterfeiting and illegal distribution is on the rise throughout the world and the total loss caused by this is said to be tens of trillions of yen per year.

-If countermeasures against the distribution of counterfeit and imitation products are delayed, there is an increased danger of critical damage including not just the reduction of sales of the real product but also a loss of trust from consumers and the collapse of the brand image. Therefore, product traceability and counterfeit prevention measures have become a vital issue for maintaining brand image in many fields both in Japan and overseas.

-Consumers have a great interest in the safety of food and the reliability of products and therefore the question of how far product safety and security can be guaranteed has become an important issue.

-The features of the RFID Crystagram
The RFID Crystagram combines a Crystagram and µ-Chip and is highly effective in preventing counterfeiting and illegal distribution with functions that prevent product counterfeiting and enable traceability in production and distribution.

-For the hologram, a Crystagram is used and enhanced counterfeit prevention can be expected. The Crystagram is an ultrahigh performance hologram developed by Toppan Printing and manufactured using an electron beam (EB) technique which is employed in semiconductor manufacture. In addition, a special "brittle processing" adhesion method is used, meaning that even if someone tries to remove the label by force, only the base film is detached and the hologram itself remains on the product. These features therefore contribute to the prevention of illegal label swapping.

-The use of one of the world’s smallest contactless IC chips, the µ-Chip (0.4mm square and 0.045mm thick), and Hitachi Chemical’s advanced mounting technology enable attachment to the Crystagram, which is 0.05mm thick.

-Each µ-Chip has a unique ID of which there is only one in the world. They are read-only chips and writing or rewriting is impossible meaning that tampering is not possible and high security management of individual items can be realized. With the unique ID as the key, at an information center it is possible to compile a record of production and distribution, including information such as manufacturing date or site. Thus, it is an effective measure against illegal distribution.

-The Crystagram’s aluminum deposition section acts as the µ-Chip’s antenna for sending and receiving radio waves.

-Fine processing of the Crystagram’s form is possible by partially removing the aluminum deposition layer with de-metallization. Employing this technique not only enhances security but makes a wide range of design possible. With outstanding design quality and brightness, the Crystagram has an excellent eye-catching effect and can be expected to enhance the image of products.

Price and commencement of shipping
-Product name:RFID Crystagram
-Price:Individual estimate
-Commencement of shipping:Mid-September, 2008
* The RFID Crystagram is made-to-order


Sales target
4 billion yen by FY2010


Performance
-Transmission distance:Around 20mm where a 25mm�~20mm RFID Crystagram is affixed to a product (changes depending upon RFID Crystagram size and the material to which it is affixed)

-Size:Smallest is 25mm�~20mm
-Frequency band:2.45GHz


Notes
*1: Hologram
Holograms make use of the interference pattern created when two rays of light overlap to record and reproduce 3D images. They can give a unique luminance or sense of high-quality through images with a 3D effect and rainbow-like color changes, and are security devices which are extremely difficult to counterfeit or forge. Toppan Printing led the industry by starting hologram research and development in 1967. Holograms developed were quickly adopted for use on credit cards and currently the company’s products are employed for a wide range of items such as product coupons, gift tokens, checks, and verification of authenticity for export goods.

*2: Crystagram
Electron beam technology used in semiconductor component manufacture is applied to create bright, high-definition images and achieve a unique visual effect. Since sales began in 1994, Crystagrams have been used predominantly for security applications such as for credit cards and securities.

*3: µ-Chip URL: http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Prod/mu-chip/
This is a contactless IC chip developed by Hitachi. It is the world’s smallest class of IC chip, measuring 0.4mm square and has a read-only ID with a memory capacity of 128 bits (38 digits in a decimal system). Due to its small size and thinness it has become possible to attach it to a wide range of materials and parts, including paper, to which attachment was previously difficult. Hitachi provides expansive business solutions, including optimization of the efficiency of corporate management or development of new businesses, centered on functions using the µ-Chip such as data processing, determination of product authenticity and recycling of products and resources. The µ-Chip is the ucode approved tag of the Ubiquitous ID Center (Chairman: Ken Sakamura, Professor of the University of Tokyo, Chairman of the T-Engine Forum and Chairman of the YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory).


Trademarks
-Crystagram is a registered trademark of Toppan Printing.
-µ-Chip and the µ-Chip logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hitachi in Japan and other countries.
-Other company and product names are the trademarks and registered trademarks of the respective companies.


About Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1900, Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (TSE: 7911) has branched into diverse business fields, including security cards, commercial printing, publications printing, packaging, industrial materials, electronics and optronics. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, Toppan posted revenues of 1,557.8 billion yen (more than US$13 billion), and ended the year with approximately 36,000 employees. For more information visit http://www.toppan.co.jp.

About Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 384,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2006 (ended March 31, 2007) consolidated revenues totaled 10,247 billion yen ($86.8 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at http://www.hitachi.com.

About Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.
Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4217) headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is an innovating global chemical company, with approximately 17,500 employees on a consolidated basis. Fiscal 2007 (ended March 31, 2007) consolidated sales totaled 628.8 billion yen ($5.3 billion). The Company offers a diverse range of products, including Electronics Related Products and Advanced Performance Products. For more information, please visit the Company’s web site at http://www.hitachi-chem.co.jp/english/.