REG-Sony Corporation Mori Seiki and Sony Sign Memorandum of Intent Regarding Transfer of SMS Measuring Systems Business

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TOKYO--(Business Wire)--

November 11, 2009

Mori Seiki Co., Ltd.
Sony Corporation

Mori Seiki and Sony Sign Memorandum of Intent Regarding Transfer of SMS
Measuring Systems Business

TOKYO, Japan, November 11, 2009--Mori Seiki Co., Ltd. ("Mori Seiki") and Sony
Corporation ("Sony") today announced that they have signed a non-binding
memorandum of intent to transfer the measuring systems (magnescale, laserscale)
business of Sony Manufacturing Systems Corporation ("SMS"), a 100% subsidiary of
Sony, primarily located at SMS` Isehara Plant, together with related
manufacturing and sales businesses in other Sony subsidiaries, to Mori Seiki.
The two companies will negotiate in good faith with the goal of entering into a
legally binding definitive agreement by the end of December 2009 and completing
the transaction by the end of March 2010. The two companies have agreed to
negotiate aiming at a sales price of 6 billion Japanese Yen, subject to
adjustment after further due diligence. The sale would be accomplished by a
combination of corporate divestiture and other means. The closing of the
transaction would be subject to the receipt of any necessary government
approvals.

Mori Seiki has been purchasing measuring equipment applying magnetic technology
("Magnescale " ) from suppliers but after completion of the proposed acquisition
will aim through in-house production of Magnescale to improve accuracy of its
machine tools and reduce production cost by increasing production volume, in
order to become more competitive in the machine tool industry. Furthermore, Mori
Seiki plans to drive technology development of the measuring equipment applying
laser technology ( "Laserscale " ) in order to utilize it for its machine tools
and establish a lead in ultra precision machine tools of the next generation.
Mori Seiki plans to further develop its measuring systems business, including
sales to outside customers, by acquiring the SMS measuring systems business.

The measuring systems business of SMS began in 1969 with Magnescale. Currently,
Laserscale developed by SMS enables pico-level measuring, which has been adopted
for position control in state-of-the-art ultraprecision processing equipment. By
this transaction, SMS will concentrate its resources and focus on its other
businesses, such as mounting machines and mold creations.

Corporate Data of SMS
(1) Corporate Name Sony Manufacturing Systems Corporation
(2) President Hiroshi Sudo
(3) Location 1-10 Kiyoku-cho, Kuki-shi, Saitama 346-0035, Japan
(4) Established August 1, 1969
(5) Products Magnescale, Laserscale, Electronic component
mounter, Solder Paste printer, PWB Inspection
machine
(6) Fiscal year-end March
(7) Number of employees 671 (as of November 1, 2009)
(8) Plants Isehara Plant (Isehara-shi, Kanagawa Japan)
Kuki Plant (Kuki-shi, Saitama Japan)

Impact on Financial Results
After the completion of the proposed transaction, including the corporate
divestiture, an entity engaging in the measuring systems business divested from
SMS will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Mori Seiki as of the end of March 2010.
For the current fiscal year, no material impact is anticipated in connection
with the transaction on either Mori Seiki's or Sony's consolidated financial
results.

Sony Corporation

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