News Release
January 29, 2001

Sakura Institute of Research Inc.
The Japan Research Institute, Limited
The JRI Business Consulting, Limited
The Sakura Bank, Limited
The Sumitomo Bank, Limited

Reorganization of the Business Among
Sakura Institute of Research Inc.,
The Japan Research Institute, Limited
and The JRI Business Consulting, Limited

 Sakura Institute of Research Inc. (Tatsuo Abiru, President), The Japan Research Institute, Limited (Masahiko Koido, President) and The JRI Business Consulting, Limited (Toshio Ito, President) have reached an agreement to reorganize their businesses on April 1, 2001, occasioned by the merger on the same date of their respective parent companies, The Sakura Bank, Limited (Akishige Okada, President) and The Sumitomo Bank, Limited (Yoshifumi Nishikawa, President), to form Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (Yoshifumi Nishikawa, President).

The reorganization of the companies will take place after obtaining the approval of the regulatory authorities.

Integration of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation subsidiaries and affiliates is being planned, to create an organization that will allow the provision of higher value-added products and services to the groupユs customers.



1. Sakura Institute of Research will transfer its research division to The Japan Research Institute on April 1, 2001.

The integration of these two research entities is intended to enhance their strengths, such as the policy proposals of the Japan Research Institute and the research activities concerning the Asia-Pacific region by the Sakura Institute of Research. Japan Research Institute will aim to be the top think tank in Japan.

2. Sakura Institute of Research and JRI Business Consulting will merge on April 1, 2001.

The merger, which will integrate both the membership services and management consulting businesses, is intended to enable the provision of more valuable information services for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporationユs corporate customers, as well as increase efficiency.

The new companyユs policy will be to provide total management solutions for corporate customers. To achieve this goal, it will support customers and improve their corporate value by offering high value-added membership services and management consulting services that correspond to their needs or problems.

Details of the Merger:

Scheduled Date: April 1, 2001
Surviving Entity:  Sakura Institute of Research Inc.
Merger Ratio:  1 share of Sakura Institute of Research per share of JRI Business Consulting
Corporate Name: SMBC Consulting Co., Ltd.
Address:  16-6 Shinjuku 2-chome, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Capital: \1,100 million

Additional Information

Outline of Sakura Institute of Research
Corporate Name:  Sakura Institute of Research Inc.
Representative: Tatsuo Abiru, President
Address: 16-6 Shinjuku 2-chome, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Business: Research, consulting and membership services
Capital: \1,000 million
Shareholder: The Sakura Bank, Limited and its group companies
Employees: 230 (as of 3/31/2000)

Outline of The Japan Research Institute
Corporate Name:  The Japan Research Institute, Limited
Representative: Masahiko Koido, President
Address: 16, Ichibancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Business: Data processing/system development, consulting and research
Capital: \2,000 million
Shareholder: The Sumitomo Bank, Limited and its group companies Sumitomo group companies
Employees:  2,321 (as of 3/31/2000)

Outline of The JRI Business Consulting
Corporate Name:  The JRI Business Consulting, Limited
Representative: Toshio Ito, President
Address: 6-2, Honmachi 3-chome, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Business: Membership services and consulting
Capital: \100 million
Shareholder: The Japan Research Institute, Limited
Employees:  84 (as of 3/31/2000)


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