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Hitachi to Launch a New Solutions Service Using Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) Satellite Systems

Tokyo, Japan, November 26, 2001—Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT/TSE: 6501) today announced plans to strengthen its satellite-based data communications services. The Company will cooperate with ORBCOMM Asia Limited, the Asia-Oceania region service-provider of U.S.-based satellite communications company ORBCOMM LLC, to manufacture and market subscriber communicators, as well as provide total solutions in the Asia-Oceania region, which includes Japan, for services using the ORBCOMM LEO Satellite.         To help start up the subscriber communicator manufacturing business, the Company will enter a cooperative agreement with U.S.-based communications devices designing and manufacturing firm Stellar Division, Elisra Incorporated. Hitachi also plans to participate in the third-party capital expansion planned by the Japanese service provider of ORBCOMM, ORBCOMM Japan Limited, along with Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. and Hitachi Engineering Co., Ltd. This will make the Hitachi Group the second largest shareholder of ORBCOMM Japan.         The ORBCOMM satellite communications system provides low-cost two-way data communication services using 35 LEO satellites. It has either been commercialized, or is on the way to being so, in approximately 120 countries around the world. The system utilizes the advantages satellite communication has over land-based communication media, such as enabling communication with mountainous regions or remote islands, and is used for special fields, including the remote supervision of machinery and for tracking of ships.         Hitachi will use the ORBCOMM satellite system to provide a comprehensive range of services complete with GPS-applications and peripheral equipment, tailored to suit the needs of a variety of areas. These services include a speedy equipment-information service for the remote control of industrial and construction machinery, the tracking of trucks, weather observation in mountainous regions and remote islands where it had not previously been possible due to the lack of a power system or other infrastructure, ship navigation control and locating information services using GPS technology.         Hitachi will combine the core-technology, products and sales networks it has developed through the industrial machinery business with GPS and satellite communications systems to develop new businesses, such as high-precision locating information services, entertainment services and remote supervision services. It is promoting a new high-precision locating service based on RTK-GPS astrometric binary technology, and has started a content-distribution service for simulation rides using HK Channel, a total support service for satellite data distribution. The Company aims for total sales of ¥10 billion from its new businesses in fiscal 2003. About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world’s leading global electronics companies, with fiscal 2000 (ended March 31, 2001) consolidated sales of 8,417 billion yen ($67.9 billion*). The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment. For more information on Hitachi, Ltd., please visit Hitachi’s Web site at http://global.hitachi.com. *At an exchange rate of 124 yen to the dollar. About ORBCOMM LLC ORBCOMM provides two-way monitoring, tracking and messaging services through the world’s first commercial low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite-based data communication system. ORBCOMM applications include tracking mobile assets such as trailers, containers, locomotives, rail cars, heavy equipment, fishing vessels, barges and government assets; monitoring fixed assets such as electric utility meters, oil and gas storage tanks, wells and pipelines and environmental projects; and messaging services for consumers and commercial and government entities. About Stellar Satellite Communications, Ltd. Stellar Satellite Communications designs and manufactures data communications products for use on global satellite and terrestrial networks for two-way messaging, tracking and monitoring applications. Many equipment manufacturers and system integrators having global distribution make use of Stellar products to telemeter important operational data back to their information systems and call centers. The company was formed in 1996 with offices in the U.S. and Israel.

 

WRITTEN BY Corporate Communications Division