News Releases

04/30/2008

HITACHI HOSTS JAPAN TEACHERS IN NORTH AMERICA

TARRYTOWN, N.Y., April 30, 2008 -- Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT), today announced that four teachers from Japan will take part in an educational and cultural exchange in North America as part of Hitachi’s long-standing International School Teachers Exchange Program (HISTEP), a teacher exchange program organized and sponsored by Hitachi, which began in 1987.

The four teachers will receive an overview of educational systems in the U.S. and Canada, as well as observe and teach classes. They will meet with local education, government and business leaders in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Westchester County, New York and Harrodsburg, Kentucky, stay overnight with the family of a Hitachi employee, and tour points of interest in the respective cities, before returning to Japan. In addition, the teachers will take part in roundtable discussions with their North America counterparts and alumni of the HISTEP Program, and teach lessons in schools in the Toronto area, central Kentucky; and Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, New York.

Masahide Tanigaki, president and CEO of Hitachi America, Ltd., said, “We are proud that the HISTEP program provides Hitachi with the opportunity to promote and support education and the mutual understanding among different cultures. For over 20 years, HISTEP teachers have had the opportunity to observe another culture and share the experience with their students. Over 150 educators have been part of this program, since it began in 1987.”

The Japan-based teachers in this year’s program are Ms. Yoshimi Namba, Sakamoto Junior High School, Hitachi City, Japan; Mr. Norio Sone, Mito Daini Senior High School, Mito City, Japan; Mr. Shinichi Amemiya, Oizumi Middle School, Tokyo, Japan; and Mr. Yutaka Yoshioka, Mito Daiichi Senior High School, Mito City, Japan. Four teachers form the US and Canada have been selected to participate in the program in June 2008.

In 1987, Hitachi began inviting teachers to Japan as part of its community activities in North America. The program developed into HISTEP in 1994, when Hitachi invited both North American and European teachers to Japan. To date, 83 teachers from North America have been to Japan under the auspices of this program. In addition, Hitachi began sending Japanese teachers to North America in 1989. So far, 72 Japanese teachers have visited North America, and a Europe-Japan teacher exchange program was initiated in 1997.

The HISTEP program provides educators from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and Japan with the opportunity to experience each other’s educational system and society, and promote the open exchange of ideas between cultures.

Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., markets and manufactures a broad range of electronics, computer systems and products, and provides industrial equipment and services throughout North America. For more information, visit www.hitachi.us.

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.