Yazaki Creates New Strategic Business Unit

CANTON, Mich., March 3 -- Yazaki North America, Inc. (Yazaki), a leading supplier of vehicle power and data solutions to the automotive industry, announced today the creation of a new strategic business unit focused on the areas of electronics and instrumentation. George R. Perry, president and CEO of Yazaki North America, made the announcement.

The Electronics and Instrumentation Business Unit (EIBU) will focus its activities on growing Yazaki's market share in three broad product areas: instrumentation, EEDS electronics and non-EDS vehicle network digital electronics.

"One of Yazaki's key strategic goals is to be recognized as a leader in product and process technology," said Perry. "The establishment of a business unit specifically focused on electronics and instrumentation is in direct alignment with this goal and will allow this area to become a core business for Yazaki, not only in North American, but globally."

Riku Yazaki has been appointed president of the EIBU. Educated at Keio University in Tokyo, Yazaki has served Yazaki Corporation (YC) in a variety of key management roles throughout the last 10 years, including: general manager of the YC Planning Division, World Wide Strategy director for Yazaki Europe, director of Thai Yazaki Corporation and deputy plant manager of Yazaki Corporation's Shimada Factory in Japan. Yazaki, who is the grandson of Yazaki Corporation's founder Sadami Yazaki, will also retain his responsibilities as president of both Yazaki International Corporation and Yazaki Management Corporation.

"I am excited by the opportunities that this new business unit provides for introducing Yazaki's electronics and instrumentation technologies into the exploding automotive electronics market in North America," said EIBU President Riku Yazaki. "My assignment as president of this business unit, as well as the recent appointment of Satoshi Negishi to general manager for Global Automotive Electronics Operations, demonstrates Yazaki's focus on addressing the wealth of business opportunities that currently exist in the Americas."

Yazaki Corporation is a global leader in the research and development of vehicle power and data solutions, as well as advanced electronic technologies for vehicle applications. Yazaki produces electrical distribution systems, fiber optics, advanced networking products, instrumentation, junction blocks, connector systems, and advanced electronics. Worldwide, the company employs over 115,000 people in 31 countries, 1,700 of whom are based in the company's North American headquarters and research center campus in Canton, Michigan. For more information on Yazaki, log onto www.yazaki-na.com .

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