Outline of Showa Denko CEO Message to Newly-hired Employees

Today, Hidehito Takahashi, President and CEO of Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) (Tokyo: 4004) and Showa Denko Materials Co., Ltd. sent a message to the companies’ newly-hired employees as summarized below:

Hidehito Takahashi, President and CEO

We aim to become a “Co-Creative Chemical Company”

Welcome to Showa Denko!

The Showa Denko Group has defined its Purpose (the reason for the existence) as “Change society through the power of chemistry,” and aims to evolve into a “Company that can compete on the world stage” and a “Company that contributes to a sustainable global society.”

To achieve these aims, The Group has positioned the idea of sustainability as the basis of its management, and defined its material issues as “Gain social credibility through responsible business management,” “Strengthen competitiveness and create social value through innovation and business,” and “Promote talent and corporate culture with autonomy and creativity.” We will solve these material issues through co-creation with partners ranging from key industry players to individual consumers and sharing the same idea with us, and we will realize sustainable development of the Group, thereby enhancing our corporate value.

Let’s take the first step to be the Resonac Group

Showa Denko and Showa Denko Materials will be fully united in January 2023, and a newly integrated company will be borne. At the same time, the newly integrated company plans* to adopt holding company structure and change its name into “Resonac.” The new company name “RESONAC” was created as a combination of two English words, namely, the word of “RESONATE” and “C” as the first letter of CHEMISTRY. Into RESONAC, we put our hope that the Group will resonate with our partners in and outside Japan through co-creation, thereby creating a powerful surge that changes society through the power of chemistry. This year is an important year for us in which we prepare for the start of Resonac in January 2023. Therefore, after joining this Company, you will experience many changes. That will be a highly valuable experience for you.

The Group will commit itself to human resource development in order to compete on the world stage. I hope that you will contribute to cultivation of the newly integrated company’s corporate culture through your behavior consistent with the four important Values of the Group, namely, “Passionate & Results Driven,” “Open Minds & Open Connections,” “Agile & Flexible,” and “Solid Vision & Solid Integrity.” Please continue imaging your career plan, be unafraid of changes, act with agility, and accumulate valuable experiences. I highly hope you will be actively involved in the newly integrated company’s operation as a person who will lead the next generation in the brand-new Resonac Group. Let’s establish a new company that can compete on the world stage.

*The newly integrated company’s adoption of holding company system and new company name is subject to approval of relevant resolutions at an extraordinary meeting of shareholders to be held in September 2022.

About Showa Denko K.K.

Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004, ADR:SHWDY) is a major manufacturer of chemical products serving from heavy industry to computers and electronics. The Petrochemicals Sector provides cracker products such as ethylene and propylene, the Chemicals Sector provides industrial, high-performance and high-purity gases and chemicals for semicon and other industries, the Inorganics Sector provides ceramic products, such as alumina, abrasives, refractory/graphite electrodes and fine carbon products. The Aluminum Sector provides aluminum materials and high-value-added fabricated aluminum, the Electronics Sector provides HD media, compound semiconductors such as ultra high bright LEDs, and rare earth magnetic alloys, and the Advanced Battery Materials Department (ABM) provides lithium-ion battery components. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.

For further information, contact:
Showa Denko K.K., Public Relations Group, Brand Communication Department, Tel: 81-3-5470-3235






Topic: Press release summary

Hong Kong – Draft Wan Chai Outline Zoning Plan approved

Draft Wan Chai Outline Zoning Plan approved

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     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Wan Chai Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
      
     “The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development within the Wan Chai area,” a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (November 19).
      
     The planning scheme area, covering about 89 hectares, is bounded by Gloucester Road to the north; Percival Street to the east; Leighton Road, Queen’s Road East and Kennedy Road to the south; and Monmouth Path and Arsenal Street to the west.
      
     Wan Chai has been developed into an area characterised by a mixture of commercial and residential developments. Along Queen’s Road East, there is a trend towards more intensive commercial development. The area to the south of Johnston Road contains some new buildings amidst low-rise pre-war residential buildings, many of which are in a dilapidated state.
      
     The approved OZP has incorporated amendments shown on the draft Wan Chai OZPs No. S/H5/26, No. S/H5/27 and No. S/H5/28, which mainly involved incorporation and revision of building height restrictions, non-building area and lot boundary setback requirements for various development zones; rezoning of the “Commercial/Residential” sites to “Commercial”, “Residential (Group A)” or “Other Specified Uses” (“OU”) annotated “Mixed Use” zones; rezoning of the old Wan Chai Police Station and ex-Wan Chai Police Married Quarters sites from “Government, Institution or Community” (“G/IC”) to “OU (Historical Building Preserved for Hotel, Commercial, Community and/or Cultural Uses)” and “Commercial (4)” respectively; rezoning of sites at 99 Kennedy Road and 269 Queen’s Road East from “G/IC” to “Residential (Group E)”; rezoning of the terraces and the stepped street in the Sau Wa Fong area to area shown as “Road”; and rezoning of various sites to reflect the as-built conditions of completed developments.
      
     The approved Wan Chai OZP No. S/H5/29 is now available for public inspection during office hours at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, the Planning Enquiry Counters of the Planning Department in North Point and Sha Tin, the Hong Kong District Planning Office and the Wan Chai Home Affairs Enquiry Centre.
      
     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board’s website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

Japan – Outline of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup 2021 Announced

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) has announced details of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup (TGR GT Cup) 2021, a new series in “Gran Turismo SPORT” for PlayStation4(1) (PS4).

The TGR GT Cup is a new global series in which the GR lineup, including GR road vehicles and dedicated racing cars, will participate in competitive racing throughout a season. In addition to the GR Supra and GR Yaris, the recently-announced GR 86 is scheduled for introduction in the middle of the year. By varying the car models for each round, players can enjoy virtual racing with a variety of cars, something that is difficult in real-life motorsports.

Partly because of the effects of COVID-19, 2020 was a year in which people paid more attention to e-Motorsports than ever, as exemplified by the hosting of the Virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans. Many players from all over the world also participated in the GR Supra GT Cup and the GR Yaris Time Trial, hosted by TGR. In addition, after being featured in Gran Turismo SPORT, approximately 1.30 million GR Supra and 530,000 GR Yaris vehicles were purchased, indicating that many players all over the world enjoy the GR models.

TGR plans to continue an active engagement in e-Motorsports so that motorsports and sports cars will become more familiar to people all over the world and be enjoyed by many generations to come.

(1) “PlayStation”, “PS5”, and “PS4” are registered trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

For more information, visit bit.ly/2PVmrdo.

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