TOKYO, SAN FRANCISCO and PURCHASE, 30 September 2005 - JCB, MasterCard International and Visa International announced today that JCB has joined the card organizations' efforts to align PIN Entry Device (PED) security requirements and approval procedures. MasterCard and Visa previously agreed to support common standards which were fully put into effect October 2004.

PED manufacturers submitting devices for security testing will be able to rely on a single set of standards, helping ensure cardholder security and providing faster time-to-market for financial institutions. Building on nearly a year of collaborative efforts to reduce testing cycles, JCB participation will bring even greater efficiencies to PED testing and development.

"PIN entry devices are at the very core of the card industry, and a global standard for testing requirements benefits everyone involved," said Kazuhiro Matsumoto, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Advanced Technologies, JCB. "This global standard will greatly simplify testing processes, reduce costs for vendors, and provide a wider selection of PED products to financial institutions. A global standard is an integral part of the JCB strategy for increasing security and bringing more peace of mind to cardholders."

"It is a strategic priority for the payments industry to continue streamlining standards and the development of secure devices," said Brian Buckley, senior vice president, International Risk Management, Visa International. "Each step we take towards common requirements means more consistent security measures and cost effective market deployment."

"This arrangement benefits all stakeholders in the payments value chain and is intended to improve the overall security for customer-entered data by removing conflicting requirements," said Simon Pugh, Group Head, Infrastructure & Standards, MasterCard International. "Having one approval method helps simplify the task of deploying PIN Entry Devices for acquirers and avoids duplicate testing, thereby reducing costs. It also simplifies procedures for vendors, as they will have only one set of security requirements.

About JCB
JCB is an international credit card brand and the largest card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding overseas in 1981. Its merchant network includes 12.4 million merchants and spans 190 countries and territories. JCB cards are now issued in 19 countries and territories, with 55.14 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with more than 350 leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. JCB's corporate philosophy of "Service from the heart", a commitment to responsive and high-quality service, continues to guide it as it creates the future together with its customers, merchants and partners. For further information, please visit the JCB home page at: www.jcb-global.com/english or www.jcbcorporate.com/english.

About MasterCard International
MasterCard International is a leading global payments solutions company that provides a broad variety of innovative services in support of our global members' credit, deposit access, electronic cash, business-to-business and related payment programs. MasterCard manages a family of well-known, widely accepted payment card brands including MasterCard(R), Maestro(R) and Cirrus(R) and serves financial institutions, consumers and businesses in over 210 countries and territories. The MasterCard award-winning Priceless(R) advertising campaign is now seen in 105 countries and in 48 languages, giving the MasterCard brand a truly global reach and scope. For more information go to www.mastercardinternational.com.

About Visa
Visa connects cardholders, merchants and financial institutions through the world's largest electronic payments network. Visa products allow buyers and sellers to conduct commerce with ease and confidence in both the physical and virtual worlds. As an association owned by 21,000 member financial institutions, Visa is committed to the sustained growth of electronic payment systems to support the needs of all stakeholders and to drive economic growth. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com.