For Immediate Release

JCB is an official sponsor of AFC.

Tokyo, Japan, February 18, 2004 - JCB Co., Ltd. the international payment brand, is pleased to announce that it has signed a sponsorship agreement with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for 2004. The partnership offers AFC the support of the only international credit card brand based in Asia, and gives JCB marketing and promotional rights as an official sponsor.

"We are honored to be an official sponsor of AFC on its 50th anniversary, and pleased to be able to support and promote the whole Asian football movement," said Mr. Osamu Daigo, Executive Manager of the Media and Channel Management Department at JCB. "Through our partnership with AFC we are looking forward to increasing JCB brand awareness and loyalty throughout the region while AFC benefits from our marketing and media support at the same time."

JCB will become one of the sponsors for the AFC's top 9 tournaments in 2004 including this month's AFC Champions League, a competition to decide the best club team within Asia. The Asian Football Qualifiers 2004*, the tournament serving as the AFC qualifiers for the Olympic Games 2004, follows. Being played across the continent between March and May 2004, more than 4,000 athletes from 12 countries and territories will be competing to qualify to play at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens this August.

The AFC Asian Cup China 2004, the most prestigious tournament held by the AFC, is held in July. All of these tournaments will feature top class performances from some of the world's best athletes, and will generate attention not only across Asia, but from around the globe.

The new partnership with AFC, in addition to JCB's sponsorship contract with the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) signed in 2003, enables JCB to enhance its support of football in Asia - the athletes who compete, and the Asian community who enjoy the challenge and excitement of football - and to promote further development of the sport throughout the region.

(*These matches are AFC qualifiers for the 2004 Olympic Games)

About AFC
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) was established in 1954 as one of the 6 continental confederations under FIFA, the Federation Internationale de Football Association. The AFC is composed of 45 national and regional football associations across Asia, from the Middle East to Southeast Asia, and promotes football throughout the region. For further information, please refer to www.footballasia.com

About JCB
JCB is an international credit card brand and the largest card issuer/acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding overseas in 1981. Its merchant network includes 11.4 million merchants and spans 189 countries and territories. JCB cards are now issued?in 18 countries and territories, with 49.6 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with more than 320 leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. JCB's corporate philosophy of "Service from the heart", a commitment to responsive, high-quality service, continues to guide it as it creates the future together with its customers, merchants and partners.
For further information, please visit the JCB International homepage at : www.jcb-global.com/english or www.jcbinternational.com

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