Honda to Strengthen Racing Circuit Operations

JCN Newswires, Dec 20, 2005

Tokyo, Japan, Dec 19, 2005 - (JCN Newswire) - As the only company in Japan that owns three facilities promoting mobility, which combine racing circuits together with multi-purpose recreational facilities - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced plans to strengthen its Suzuka Circuit, Twin Ring Motegi and Tama Tech operations to promote further growth of mobility and a motor sports culture.

Two Honda subsidiaries, Suzuka Circuitland Co., Ltd. and Twin Ring Motegi Co., Ltd., today reached a basic agreement to merge their operations sometime around June 2006. Prior to this merger, Honda will obtain all outstanding shares of Suzuka Circuitland and make it a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda.

The new merged company, planned to be named Mobilityland Co., Ltd., will leverage the know-how and experiences of each facility to offer higher-quality events, products and services and contribute to the further growth of motor sports, mobility and safe driving promotion.

Honda began operation of Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka, Mie-prefecture) in 1962 as the first full-fledged international race course in Japan, but also as a place to promote a mobility culture, to host educational activities, to create the joy of mobility for individuals of all ages including younger generations and children, and as a facility that also features an amusement theme park and traffic safety education facilities. Since its establishment in 1961, Tama Tech (Hino, Tokyo), another facility of Suzuka Circuitland, has been offering the joy and fun of mobility to a wide range of people through its amusement park - Motopia. For over 40 years since its establishment, Suzuka Circuitland has maintained its vision to contribute to the healthy growth of motorization and carried out a variety of activities.

In 1997, Honda opened a new facility promoting mobility, Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Haga, Tochigi-prefecture), which was developed under the theme of "Fusion of People, Nature, and Mobility." Twin Ring Motegi has two race courses - an oval course and a road course - and provides its visitors with opportunities to participate in and experience motor sports along with safe driving education activities. Twin Ring Motegi also has "Honda Collection Hall," a display of motorcycles, automobiles, power products, and racing machines which Honda has developed since its establishment, as well as "Fan Fun Lab" where visitors can enjoy experiences in various areas including environment and safety initiatives, and opportunities to use their skills to create something. Honda also offers different kinds of enjoyable experiences through its various corporate activities including "Hello Woods," which offers participants fun and learning experiences in the rich nature area surrounding Twin Ring Motegi and enables them to cultivate their own sensitivities.

Honda will utilize the facilities as the foundation for Honda to disseminate messages through its corporate activities and provide a wide range of people in society with joys and dreams through mobility.

About Suzuka Circuitland Co., Ltd.

Establishment:          February 1, 1961
                        (Suzuka Circuit began operation in September 1962.)
Representative:         Ikuo Shimizu, President
Capital Investment:     2 billion yen
Capitalization Ratio:   85.4% Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
                        14.6 % others
Headquarter Location:   Suzuka, Mie-prefecture
Business Facilities:    Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka, Mie), Tama Tech (Hino,
                        Tokyo)
Employment:             373 associates (as of March 31, 2005)
Sales Revenue:          18.56 billion yen (fiscal year ended on
                        March 31,2005)
History:
  1961  February        Motor Sports Land Co., Ltd. (later changed to Suzuka
                        Circuitland) was established
        October         Tama Tech (Hino, Tokyo) began operation
  1962  September       Construction of Suzuka Circuit was completed /
                        operation began
  1963  January         The first automobile amusement park was built in
                        Suzuka Circuit / operation began
        November        The first Japan Grand Prix Road Race for the World
                        Championship was held
  1964  September       Skill training for police officers with motorcycle
                        and automobile began at Suzuka Circuit
  1978  July            The first Suzuka 8-hour Endurance Motorcycle Race was
                        held
  1987  March           Motorcycle Road Race World Championship Japan Grand
                        Prix
        June            The company name was changed to Suzuka Circuitland
                        Co., Ltd.
        November        The first Japan Grand Prix for FIA Formula 1 World
                        Championship was held
  1992  April           Racing School (SRS) opened at Suzuka Circuit
  2000  July            "Putti Town" opened within the amusement park of
                        Suzuka Circuit with a concept of "Children play the
                        leading role"