The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) will be hosting a 12:00-2:00 P.M. seminar in its New York offices on June 6, 2000 to highlight the current environment for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and recent developments concerning judicial reform in Japan. JETRO's offices are located in the McGraw Hill Building at 1221 Avenue of the Americas (between 48th and 49th Street), New York, New York on the 42nd Floor.

This seminar will be held free of charge. It will feature a presentation by Mr. Robert F. Grondine, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) and Partner at the Tokyo Office of White & Case LLC, a prominent international law firm. Mr. Grondine's practice focuses on corporate, commercial and financial transactions involving Japan, with a clientele including U.S., European and Japanese clients.

"Japan's business environment has been changing rapidly in recent years," stated Mr. Grondine. "Two areas where these changes have had a major impact have been in Mergers & Acquisitions and in the broad discussions concerning the need for judicial reform. I have been very active in both of these areas as a private lawyer and as President of the ACCJ, lobbying for improvements which are intended to benefit all businesses operating in Japan. I am therefore very pleased that JETRO has provided me with this opportunity to speak before U.S. business and financial executives and locally-based Japanese firms in New York."

Executives, financial professionals, journalists and other interested individuals are invited to attend this event by forwarding a request to the contact indicated below.

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CONTACT: KWR International, Inc.
Keith W. Rabin
Tel: 212/532-3005
Fax: 212/532-3345
E-mail: krabin@kwrintl.com