RNS Number:5719L
Ntt Docomo, Inc.
27 April 2005
NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.
Sumitomo Mitsui Card Co., Ltd.
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
For Immediate Release
Joint Promotion of New Credit-Payment Service using Mobile-Wallet Handsets
- NTT DoCoMo and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group to Form
Strategic Business and Capital Alliance -
TOKYO, JAPAN, April 27, 2005 --- NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Sumitomo Mitsui Financial
Group, Inc. (SMFG), Sumitomo Mitsui Card Co., Ltd. and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking
Corporation (SMBC) today jointly announced that they agreed to form a strategic,
business and capital alliance for the launch of a credit-payment service using
DoCoMo Mobile Wallet phones equipped with smart-card functions for cashless
payments.
DoCoMo will introduce a new brand for the service, whose platform will be
jointly developed by DoCoMo and Sumitomo Mitsui Card. At the time of the service
launch, DoCoMo will issue a new credit card (conventional plastic card with an
international credit card companys brand) that can be used in conjunction with
the Sumitomo Mitsui Card.
Sumitomo Mitsui Card will leverage its expertise as a general credit card
company to establish infrastructure for mobile credit-card payments ranging from
small to large amounts, including the installation of terminals at member retail
shops nationwide to enable customers to make payments with mobile-wallet
handsets. The company will promote mobile-wallet services by merging them with
existing services.
SMBC, meanwhile, will develop ATMs compatible with mobile-wallet handsets to
offer customers enhanced convenience through its ATM networks.
As part of the tie-up, DoCoMo plans to acquire 34% of Sumitomo Mitsui Cards
common shares for approximately 98 billion yen, including new shares to be
issued by Sumitomo Mitsui Card.
For inquiries, please contact:
Masanori Goto
International PR
Public Relations Department
NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
Tel: +81-3-5156-1366
Fax: +81-3-5501-3408
Website: www.nttdocomo.com
Inquiries may also be made through the following URL:
www.nttdocomo.com/presscenter/contact/form.html
Takashi Morita
Public Relations Department
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG)
Tel: +81-3-5512-2679
Website: www.smfg.co.jp
About NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
NTT DoCoMo is the worlds leading mobile communications company, serving more
than 50 million customers. The company offers a wide variety of leading-edge
mobile multimedia services, including i-mode(R), which provides e-mail and
Internet access to over 44 million subscribers as the worlds most popular mobile
Internet service, and FOMA(R), launched in 2001 as the worlds first 3G mobile
service based on W-CDMA. In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe and
North America, the company is expanding its global reach through strategic
alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in Asia-Pacific and
Europe.
NTT DoCoMo is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM), and New York (DCM)
stock exchanges. For more information, visit www.nttdocomo.com.
i-mode and FOMA are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in
Japan and other countries.
NTT DoCoMos FOMA service is only available to subscribers in Japan.
About Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG)
SMFG was established through a share transfer from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking
Corporation (SMBC) on December 2, 2002. Sumitomo Mitsui Card Company, Limited,
SMBC Leasing Company, Limited, and The Japan Research Institute, Limited became
100%-held subsidiaries of the holding company in February 2003.
As a holding company, SMFG has functions such as strategic planning, management,
resource allocation, strategic planning of information systems, financial
management, investor relations, risk management, human resource management for
group executives, and business auditing of the group as a whole.
About Sumitomo Mitsui Card Co., Ltd.
As the pioneer in the issuance of the Visa Card in Japan and a leader in the
domestic credit card industry, Sumitomo Mitsui Card Company, Limited enjoys the
strong support of its many customers. It also plays a major role as one of the
strategic businesses of SMFG. Leveraging its strong brand image and its
excellent capabilities across a wide range of card-related services, the company
meets customers credit needs through the provision of settlement and financing
services. Sumitomo Mitsui Cards core priority is to provide customers with the
most convenient and user-friendly card services, thereby becoming the card
provider of choice.
About Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) was established in April 2001 through
the merger of The Sakura Bank, Limited and The Sumitomo Bank, Limited. In
December 2002, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. was established through a
stock transfer as a bank holding company, under which SMBC became a wholly-owned
subsidiary. In March 2003, SMBC merged with THE WAKASHIO BANK, LTD.
SMBC boasts a number of competitive advantages, including a strong customer
base, the quick implementation of strategies, and an extensive lineup of
financial products that leverage the expertise of strategic Group companies in
specialized areas. As a pivotal member of SMFG, SMBC works closely with other
Group companies to offer customers highly sophisticated, comprehensive financial
services.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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