November, 2003

Los Angeles, CA - November 3, 2003 -- JCB International Credit Card Co., Ltd., the US subsidiary of Japan's largest credit card company, and Marukai Corporation, California's largest Japan-affiliated membership-only supermarket, will jointly introduce the new Marukai JCB Card, a co-branded credit card with both Marukai membership identification and JCB credit functions. A marketing campaign will commence on November 8th at the Marukai store in Gardena, California.

Marukai and JCB International Credit Card, both headquartered in California, started a co-branded credit card program in Hawaii, which generated over 10,000 co-branded Marukai JCB Cards within a short six-month period from launch in June 2002. By replicating the Hawaii program in California, both Marukai and JCB can expect similar results due to the enhanced value that the co-branded Marukai JCB Card brings to the Marukai membership.

The co-branded Marukai JCB Card rewards cardmembers with:

1. Up to 3% cash back on purchases made at Marukai and up to 1% cash back on purchases made anywhere else. The JCB Card is accepted at over 11 million locations in 189 countries and territories.
2. No annual credit card fee
3. Two memberships in one card: the Marukai membership bar-code information is built-in on the back of the Marukai JCB Card
4. Upon signing up for the Marukai JCB Card, the Marukai membership fee is waived for one year. And all subsequent payments of the Marukai membership fee will be automatically billed to the Marukai JCB card account for convenient membership renewal and uninterrupted membership privileges.

A new marketing campaign is also planned. Customers who sign up and become a co-branded cardmembers are eligible to receive a gift certificate for a free bag of rice. A campaign will be held on November 8, 9, 15 & 16, whereby customers who apply for the Marukai JCB Card at the Marukai store in Gardena will receive the special gift.

Marukai Corporation, founded in 1965, opened it's first "Marukai" membership-only supermarket in Gardena, Los Angeles in 1982, and currently operates four store locations in Southern California. Marukai currently has over 90,000 household members, making it the largest Japan-affiliated supermarket in the state. Offering Japanese food products and daily household necessities at competitive prices, Marukai enjoys the patronage of many Japanese-Americans residing in the state. Marukai is one of the first companies adopting a membership-only style business that is now very popular among US consumers. Marukai also employs a highly sophisticated information system to manage its customer database, which enables it to utilize such information as a strong tool to support sales activities.

JCB International Credit Card Co., Ltd., the U.S.-affiliate of Japan's largest credit card company, JCB Co., Ltd., is headquartered in Los Angeles, California and has been issuing JCB Credit Cards to U.S. consumers and businesses since 1992. JCB Credit Cards are accepted in over 11 million merchant establishments in 189 countries. Currently, JCB has almost 48 million cardmembers, and generated $43 billion in charge volume in 2002.