Responding to the Conflict Minerals Issue

In August 2012, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted and published final rules under Section 1502 of the Financial Regulatory Reform Act (Dodd-Frank Act), which was enacted in July 2010, imposing reporting requirements beginning in 2014 on U.S. listed companies that use products of "conflict minerals" (gold, tantalum, tin, and tungsten, four minerals that are used to finance armed groups) produced in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its adjacent countries ("DRC countries"), The Act aims to cut off the funding sources of armed groups that commit atrocities and other serious human rights violations in the conflict-ridden DRC countries.

We have no intention to be complicit in the human rights abuses that have become a problem in the DRC countries. In order to practice responsible procurement activities, we will continue to improve the transparency of our supply chain and procure minerals that do not benefit armed groups that commit human rights abuses.