1. Purpose of Renewal

ITOCHU Corporation (hereinafter "ITOCHU") and Ishikawa Prefecture (hereinafter the "Prefecture") have been working together in fields where mutual cooperation and collaboration are possible, in accordance with the Agreement over Mutual Cooperation and Collaboration between the two parties signed on September 1, 2006.

ITOCHU and the Prefecture have agreed to renew the agreement, aiming at further vitalization of the local economy based on the past achievements of collaborations.

2. Collaborative Actions being Taken

1. Collaboration in local revitalization projects utilizing michinoeki (roadside rest areas with stores)
   By promoting the use of Yahoo! Japan Auction zenkoku michinoeki tokusanhin meguri (local specialties from Japan’s michinoeki)—a website established by ITOCHU Corporation, Yahoo Japan Corporation and ITOCHU-SHOKUHIN Co., Ltd., at the end of June 2008—and the interchange of local specialties among michinoeki within and beyond the Prefecture, we strengthened the marketing function of michinoeki.
2. Collaboration in finding, fostering and expanding support for small- and medium-sized and venture companies in the Prefecture
   ITOCHU and Ishikawa Prefecture worked together in the following fields.
   I. Collaboration in assisting the textile industry by coordinating collaboration with companies in non-apparel fields
   II. Collaboration in assisting companies in the Prefecture to expand their business to overseas markets through an international business support desk
   III. Assistance in development of state-of-the-art technologies, products, etc., aiming at a low-carbon society
   IV. Collaboration in fostering highly skilled IT professionals
3. Collaboration in attracting human resources
   I. Collaboration in attracting human resources in advanced industries
   As a result of having built a network with 16 employment agencies in the Tokyo metropolitan district, including Caplan Corporation, one of the ITOCHU’s group companies, and having promoted attraction of those who were born in the Prefecture, we have succeeded so far in attracting 138 people, 44 of whom used the services provided by Caplan Corporation, which accounted for the highest number.
   II. Launch of UI turns consultation services
   For the UI turns support station opened in seven employment agencies in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, Caplan Corporation has provided UI turns consultation services in those three cities, with 212 registrants, accounting for about 90% of the total 234 enrolled at the support station.
4. Collaboration and cooperation with FamilyMart Co., Ltd.
   The Prefecture and FamilyMart Co., Ltd., an ITOCHU group company, have signed a framework agreement concerning collaboration and cooperation in May this year. The two parties intend to continue their cooperation in a wide variety of areas, including the provision of job information for young people, promotion of local production for local consumption and environmental conservation activities, aiming at local revitalization and improved services for the residents of the Prefecture.

3. Collaborative Actions to be Taken

1. Business support for small- and medium-sized companies
   By widely introducing the new technology and construction methods possessed by manufacturing companies in the Prefecture to large manufacturers via ITOCHU’s networks, we will support thealliance between companies in the Prefecture and those in other regions.
   We will also provide information to food-related manufacturers in the Prefecture on the stalls that CI Shopping Service Co., Ltd, one of the ITOCHU’s group companies, opens at nationwide events to widely inform the public of the superb food and products of Ishikawa Prefecture as well as to further expand the market of such local food and products.
2. Business promotion in environmental energy
   ITOCHU and the Prefecture will cooperate in finding companies in the Prefecture with technologies that reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency in their use of energy, and promoting new alliances such as by coordinating collaboration with companies outside the Prefecture that are interested in ordering such technologies.
3. Local revitalization projects utilizing michinoeki
   We will assist in providing information on local specialties provided at michinoeki within the Prefecture and in developing their market to strengthen the marketing function of michinoeki.
   We will also take measures for brand-building at michinoeki and cooperation and collaboration among them.
   
4. Assistance in international business
   The Ishikawa Prefectural Government Shanghai Representative Office and ITOCHU Shanghai Ltd. will hold regular information-exchange sessions to provide assistance for companies in the Prefecture that intend to expand their business into China and strengthen their collaboration by jointly assisting their economic activities.