Sony Corporation (Nobuyuki Idei, Chairman and CEO) and Sony (China) Limited (Hiroshi Shoda, Chairman) are delighted to announce Sony Week - a series of events planned to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations.

Sony Week will consist of the following main events organized around the theme "do you dream in sony?". An exhibition of cutting-edge electronics technology will allow visitors to experience the different kinds of enjoyment that Sony can offer and the company will also showcase its global management and marketing know-how to demonstrate its collective group power.

1. Techno-Fair (exhibition of Sony's most advanced electronics technology)
2. Business Forum (lectures by Sony top management addressed to business audiences)
3. Marketing Forum (lectures by Sony top management to MBA students)

Sony Week has been planned as a contribution to the 2002 "Japan Year"/"China Year" which marks the 30th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations, and we hope it will deepen the relationship between the two countries. In addition, through Sony Week, we aim to impress Chinese consumers with the unique qualities of Sony - a global media and technology company that combines hardware electronics and entertainment content - and to build even greater respect for the Sony brand.

• Dates:
  October 28-November 3 (October 28 will be an invitation-only preview, the event will be open to the public from October 29).
• Location:
  Sony ExploraScience, Beijing

A special exhibition held at Sony ExploraScience, a science museum oriented toward young people and children, which is celebrating its second anniversary. There will be 18 separate exhibits focusing on Sony's cutting-edge electronics technology, most of which are being seen in China for the first time. Entrance is free.

• Song-and-dance performance by AIBO and the biped humanoid entertainment robot SDR-4X.
• Star Projector (Planetarium) with stunning visual and audio effects.
• A range of memory-stick compatible products which handle data quickly and easily.
• "Fourth View" technology which takes images from an all-direction camera and allows viewers a 360-degree reality experience.

With the cooperation of Toyota Motor Corporation and Tianjin Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. there will be an exhibition of:

1. the concept car "pod" which was jointly developed by Sony and Toyota and is a vehicle able to express emotions
2. VIOS, the first passenger vehicle to be manufactured in China by Toyota
3. A range of car-navigation systems

Business Forum

• Date:
  October 28
• Location:
  Beijing Hotel

Sony top management (Kunitake Ando, President and COO; Shizuo Takashino, Executive Deputy President; Toshitada Doi, Corporate Executive Vice President) will lecture on the company's management practice, product planning, technology strategy etc. to a select group of about 200 from China's government and public sector, electronics industry and educational experts.

Marketing Forum

• Dates and Locations:
  • October 21-24 (Beijing University)
  • October 22-23 (Shanghai Jiaotong University)

Since the year 2000, Sony's top management has given a series of lectures to the MBA Program at Beijing University. This is now extended to Shanghai.
In each location, Sony executives will lecture to around 250 students on the company's marketing, product and brand strategy etc.

• Beijing:
  Mitsuru Ohki (Corporate Executive Vice President), Suehiro Nakamura (Advisor), Teruaki Aoki (Corporate Executive Vice President), Kenji Tamiya (Advisor)
• Shanghai:
  Mitsuru Ohki (Corporate Executive Vice President), Kenji Tamiya (Advisor)

Sony Contribution Activities in China

Sony has put down strong roots in China since the formation of the 100% subsidiary Sony (China) Limited in 1996. Sony now actively engages in the manufacture and sales of electronics products in China and employs approximately 10,000 people. In addition to this, Sony takes a longer-term perspective of its place in Chinese society and positively contributes to social and cultural activities. These include regular programs designed to foster human resources such as university scholarships, design competitions for undergraduates studying technology-related disciplines and the Marketing Forum at Beijing University. Sony is also the exclusive sponsor for events such as the musical "Beauty and the Beast" and the Beijing Music Festival. One of Sony's most successful projects is Sony ExploraScience located in the busy Wang Fu Jing area. Established in October 2000, this science museum is oriented toward children and young people and provides a location where they can learn the fundamentals of physics and IT in a fun and accessible way. Over 200,000 people have visited Sony ExploraScience since its opening.

2002 "Japan Year"/ "China Year"

The year 2002 marks the 30th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations and has been designated 2002 "Japan Year"/"China Year". Various events and activities have been implemented to help forge a new next-generation partnership between the two countries. Sony Chairman and CEO, Nobuyuki Idei, is the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Japan, which has supported over 300 bilateral commemorative events. Since this Spring, Mr. Idei has been concentrating especially on organizing exchange events centered on the younger generation.

Sony Week will give Sony an opportunity to thank all those in China who have supported the company's progress so far, and we earnestly hope that the Chinese people both enjoy the events and through participating in them deepen their understanding of the Sony Group.