Press Release

Japanese and U.S. Auto Parts Associations Announce Meeting

09/23/96

Japanese and U.S. Auto Parts Associations Hold High-Level Liaison
Meeting and Business Conference

CHICAGO, Sept. 19 -- Today, the Japan Auto Parts
Industries Association (JAPIA) and the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers
Association (MEMA) held a high-level executive liaison meeting and
opened their second joint U.S.-Japan Automotive Parts Business
Conference (USJAC) (September 18-20) in Chicago, Illinois. "USJAC '96"
has attracted 39 Japanese and 43 U.S. suppliers who will hold more
than 500 business meetings over the two and a half day conference. The
event is unique in its focus on helping North American and Japanese
suppliers develop business together.

The conference includes Canadian-based suppliers for the first
time. The Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA) of Canada
joined USJAC '96 as a sponsor. The American State Offices Association
(ASOA) of Japan participated as a fourth co-sponsor.

The Liaison Committee Meeting was jointly chaired by JAPIA Chairman
Shohei Hamada (NHK Spring Co., Ltd.) and MEMA Chairman Gene Ezzell
(Crane Technologies Group). The JAPIA seven person delegation included
Vice-Chairman Ishimaru (Nippondenso). On the MEMA side, Chairman
Ezzell was joined by seven other delegates.

Because the Japanese and U.S. auto parts industries have become
increasingly interdependent, JAPIA and MEMA established their Liaison
Committee in 1995 at the time of the first USJAC conference. Today's
meeting focused on a comparison of automotive parts business forecasts
for major world markets and a review of a joint project to collect and
exchange information on U.S., Canadian, and Japanese suppliers'
overseas manufacturing programs.

The Committee will hold its next liaison meeting in Tokyo during late
October 1997. Anticipating positive results from USJAC '96, JAPIA and
MEMA have tentatively agreed to organize a third such event in the
United States in early 1998.

The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) exclusively
represents and serves more than 700 U.S. manufacturers of original
equipment and replacement parts for all classes of motor vehicles,
service tools and equipment, automotive chemicals and allied
products. MEMA is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC, and has
supporting offices in Washington, DC; Yokohama, Japan; Brussels,
Belgium; and Mexico City, Mexico.

The Japan Auto Parts Industries Association (JAPIA) represents and
serves more than 500 Japanese manufacturers of motor vehicle
components, accessories, and related equipment. JAPIA is headquartered
in Tokyo, Japan.