Hitachi Announces Change in Schedule for Execution of Merger Agreement relating to Merger of Hitachi Medical and Hitachi Aloka Medical

21 December 2015

Tokyo, December 21, 2015 --- Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501, "Hitachi"), Hitachi Medical Corporation ("Hitachi Medical"), and Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd. (“Hitachi Aloka Medical”) today announced a change in the schedule for executing the merger agreement relating to the merger of Hitachi Medical and Hitachi Aloka Medical announced on July 21, 2015.

While the companies planned to execute the merger agreement in December 2015, they changed the schedule for the execution of the agreement to January 2016. The change is due to the need for further consideration in developing an optimal organizational structure including the scope of integration for the new manufacturing subsidiary established by combining the manufacturing divisions of Hitachi Medical and Hitachi Aloka Medical. There is no change in the scheduled merger date (effective date) of April 1, 2016.

Cautionary Statement

Certain statements found in this document may constitute “forward-looking statements” as defined in the U.S. Private Securitis Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such “forward-looking statements” reflect management’s current views with respect to certain future events and financial performance and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “intend,” “plan,” “project” and similar expressions which indicate future events and trends may identify “forward-looking statements.” Such statements are based on currently available information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in the “forward-looking statements” and from historical trends. Certain “forward-looking statements” are based upon current assumptions of future events which may not prove to be accurate. Undue reliance should not be placed on “forward-looking statements,” as such statements speak only as of the date of this document.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in any “forward-looking statement” and from historical trends include, but are not limited to:

• economic conditions, including consumer spending and plant and equipment investment in Hitachi’s major markets, particularly Japan, Asia, the United States and Europe, as well as levels of demand in the major industrial sectors Hitachi serves, including, without limitation, the information, electronics, automotive, construction and financial sectors;
• exchange rate fluctuations of the yen against other currencies in which Hitachi makes significant sales or in which Hitachi’s assets and liabilities are denominated, particularly against the U.S. dollar and the euro;
• uncertainty as to Hitachi’s ability to access, or access on favorable terms, liquidity or long-term financing;
• uncertainty as to general market price levels for equity securities, declines in which may require Hitachi to write down equity securities that it holds;
• uncertainty as to Hitachi’s ability to continue to develop and market products that incorporate new technologies on a timely and cost-effective basis and to achieve market acceptance for such products;
• the possibility of cost fluctuations during the lifetime of, or cancellation of, long-term contracts for which Hitachi uses the percentage-of-completion method to recognize revenue from sales;
• credit conditions of Hitachi’s customers and suppliers;
• fluctuations in the price of raw materials including, without limitation, petroleum and other materials, such as copper, steel, aluminum, synthetic resins, rare metals and rare-earth minerals, or shortages of materials, parts and components;
• fluctuations in product demand and industry capacity;
• uncertainty as to Hitachi’s ability to implement measures to reduce the potential negative impact of fluctuations in product demand, exchange rates and/or price of raw materials or shortages of materials, parts and components;
• increased commoditization of and intensifying price competition for products;
• uncertainty as to Hitachi’s ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of its strategy to strengthen its Social Innovation Business;
• uncertainty as to the success of acquisitions of other companies, joint ventures and strategic alliances and the possibility of incurring related expenses;
• uncertainty as to the success of restructuring efforts to improve management efficiency by divesting or otherwise exiting underperforming businesses and to strengthen competitiveness;
• uncertainty as to the success of cost reduction measures;
• general socioeconomic and political conditions and the regulatory and trade environment of countries where Hitachi conducts business, particularly Japan, Asia, the United States and Europe, including, without limitation, direct or indirect restrictions by other nations on imports and differences in commercial and business customs including, without limitation, contract terms and conditions and labor relations;
• uncertainty as to the success of alliances upon which Hitachi depends, some of which Hitachi may not control, with other corporations in the design and development of certain key products;
• uncertainty as to Hitachi’s access to, or ability to protect, certain intellectual property rights, particularly those related to electronics and data processing technologies;
• uncertainty as to the outcome of litigation, regulatory investigations and other legal proceedings of which the Company, its subsidiaries or its equity-method associates and joint ventures have become or may become parties;
• the possibility of incurring expenses resulting from any defects in products or services of Hitachi;
• the potential for significant losses on Hitachi’s investments in equity-method associates and joint ventures;
• the possibility of disruption of Hitachi’s operations by natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis, the spread of infectious diseases, and geopolitical and social instability such as terrorism and conflict;
• uncertainty as to Hitachi’s ability to maintain the integrity of its information systems, as well as Hitachi’s ability to protect its confidential information or that of its customers;
• uncertainty as to the accuracy of key assumptions Hitachi uses to evaluate its significant employee benefit-related costs; and
• uncertainty as to Hitachi’s ability to attract and retain skilled personnel.

The factors listed above are not all-inclusive and are in addition to other factors contained in other materials published by Hitachi.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society’s challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal 2014 (ended March 31, 2015) totaled 9,761 billion yen ($81.3 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes power & infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.