Tokyo, February 14, 2007 -JCB, a major global payment brand and the leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan, today announced its new brand image JCB Emblem, its first update in 39 years.   The new JCB Emblem is a symbol of JCB's new branding strategy to improve the brand value and provide a better understanding of JCB as a global payment brand.   The new design will start appearing at selected JCB acceptance merchant locations worldwide in June 2007, and subsequently JCB branded cards will start carrying the new JCB Emblem in April 2008.

The JCB Emblem as illustrated is an important symbol for use in developing and offering products and services associated with the Global Payment Brand* offered by JCB Co.,Ltd.   It is available for use by every institution that shares these products and services.

*Global Payment Brand:A global brand associated with products offering payment-related solutions.

JCB has also announced the new JCB Corporate Logo as illustrated, which is a symbol for JCB's corporate activities other than that of a Global Payment Brand.

Yo Imanishi, Executive Vice President of Marketing Department and Head of the New Branding Project at JCB said that this is an important step for JCB for future initiatives as a global payment brand.   "JCB originated in Japan in 1961 as the pioneer in the Japanese credit card market.   Since then, JCB has brought innovative and creative payment solutions to customers and has taken the lead in providing caring service.   JCB entered the overseas market in 1981 as a global payment brand and has been actively expanding its business.   JCB's business model serving as an issuer, acquirer, and global payment brand has made the brand unique and prominent.   JCB's new branding strategy we are announcing today is clarifying once again how customers can benefit from doing business with JCB, because of the unique services it can provide around the world.   The new JCB Emblem is a strategic and symbolic beginning to redefining the JCB brand personality.   Based on our successful history in Japan as the leading credit card company and as a major payment brand in the global market, we believe that JCB conveys 'TRUST' and delivers 'EXPECTATION'.   JCB affirms that it is continuously supportive, confident in what it is doing, and receptive to its customers' needs at every moment."

The familiar JCB Emblem for the last 39 years has 3 S-shaped patterns, which stood for 'SIGN', 'SMART', and 'SAFETY', and the 3 main colors symbolizing universal acceptance.   The newly designed logo keeps the blue, red, and green colors, and redefines the 'S' shapes as 'SUPPORT', 'STRENGTH', and 'SHARING' to reflect the new JCB brand personality.