Tokyo, May 16 2005 – JCB, a leading international payment brand, is happy to announce that JCB Co., Ltd., Japan’s largest card issuer, has launched Love Mom, a service finely targeted to mothers. Based on a year-long research project focusing on surveys and discussions with mothers among its own employees, JCB has designed a range of exclusive offers, support services and discounts to help mothers. The service is an option that can be added to any existing JCB card, giving JCB cardmembers the potential to create their own card product to support their own unique lifestyle, and offers Love Mom JCB cardmembers an opportunity to enjoy this important stage in their lives as a mother.

“The Love Mom service, tailored to that time in a woman’s life when she is involved with childbirth and childrearing, is a new concept in credit card product design”, said Mr. Yoshiaki Kusaka, Manager of the Marketing Planning Department at JCB. “It is an optional service that can be added to the JCB card you have now. This means that you don’t have to apply for a new JCB card, because the service is available to anyone who is a JCB cardmember, and it offers flexibility in meeting the needs of every life stage.”

The range and selection of special discounts and offers will be constantly changing as merchants provide additional limited-time only incentives and rewards. Love Mom members can keep up-to-date with Love Mom mail, a monthly e-mail magazine, Love Mom Web, special contents on the JCB web site, and Love Mom News, a print magazine sent twice a year with their card statement.

One major feature is the special event for mothers and their children, including, for example, a chance to win an invitation to a members-only parent and child party with Disney characters at Tokyo Disney Resort. JCB cardmembers who choose Love Mom will also receive a free gift on Mother’s Day supplied by participating merchants, members-only opportunities to earn double Oki Doki loyalty points, and an exclusive selection of merchandise available for point redemption.

The Love Mom option costs 850 yen (about US$8.00) per year, available for JCB cards issued by JCB Co., Ltd and JCB’s 75 franchise issuers in Japan. JCB cardmembers who sign up for the service during the campaign period, which runs until June 20, will receive a welcoming letter from the popular Disney character Genie, a coupon exchangeable for a special gift at Tokyo DisneySea Park and a chance to win a pair of Tokyo DisneySea Passports. JCB expects to receive 100,000 applications for the new service in the first year alone.

JCB’s most successful product launches in the past few years include the JCB Linda Card for young working women in their 20s and 30s, and the JCB E-Go Card for young men starting out on the career path, loaded with a wealth of specialized features and services that precisely meet the needs and desires of the target segment. Leveraging the expertise in developing these and other new products and services, JCB continues to seek to create more unique, attractive and valuable services for JCB cardmembers.

About JCB Co., Ltd.
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 12.2 million merchants and spans 190 countries and territories. JCB cards are now issued in 18 countries and territories, with 53.6 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with more than 320 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 Co. Ltd. home page at: www.jcb-global.com/english or www.jcbcorporate.com/english/.