Hitachi Announces Director Candidates

Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT)(TOKYO:6501) today announced director candidates in accordance with a decision taken at a meeting of Nominating Committee convened today, subject to approval at Hitachi's Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders in June 2012.

Hitachi has worked actively over the years to strengthen its corporate governance. For instance, it adopted the Committees System under Japanese law in 2003, with the aim of creating a framework for quick business operation, by demarcating responsibilities for management oversight and those for the execution of business operations, while making management highly transparent. In selecting directorship candidates for this year, Hitachi has decided to increase the number of outside directors, including non-Japanese, to make outside directors the majority on the Board of Directors. Hitachi has made this move in order to better reflect various global viewpoints in management to drive further growth on a global basis, centered on the Social Innovation Business, as well as to further strengthen management oversight.

Specifically, Hitachi is proposing to increase the number of outside directors from four to seven, by nominating three people, including two non-Japanese, as outside director candidates. Furthermore, the number of directors appointed from within Hitachi will be reduced from eight to six, and the number of directors serving concurrently as executive officers will be reduced from two to one. With these changes in the Board composition, Hitachi aims to promote management with an enhanced global outlook and to ensure rigorous demarcation of management supervision and execution, thereby reinforcing a framework for even quicker business operation and improved management oversight.

1. Director Candidates