Air Liquide Japan Ltd., Japan Air Gases Co. will continue price revision of industrial and medical gases.

From the beginning of this year, we have conducted price revision along with factors such as increased material and energy costs. This time, we renew our effort for price revision targeting, first of all, customers that we could not convince or talk to in this year and past few years, as electricity price has increased significantly in 2008 and is planned to increase again at the beginning of 2009. In addition to those customers who did not bear cost increase in this year and before, we also ask customers who did agreed on our request in the past, for additional price increase essentially of those imported products such as helium and rare gases because of current and future production cost increase and tight supply-demand balance.

Oxygen, Nitrogen, Argon, CO2, Hydrogen, Helium Krypton, Xenon, ESGs and other gas products are included in this action. The extent of price revision varies depending on the current price of each customer, so in principle we ask them to accept appropriate price level concomitant with individual conditions, i.e. gas consumption volume, supply method, etc. To show a rough guideline, effective immediately, prices of air separation gases (oxygen, nitrogen, and argon) will increase by 5 to 10 % for the customers who were cooperative in the past and by more than 10% for those who were not.

In this time of tough economic environment, we have made our best to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and develop innovative technologies and business practices. On the other hand, it is our regret that we have to take this action of price revision, but we will do our best to earn their understandings in our effort, as this is a necessary measure to continue stable supply of high quality products and services.