TAKEFUJI CORPORATION   15-1 Nishi-Shinjuku 8-chome,Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-8654 Japan March 18, 2002 For release    Immediately Contact Media - Osamu Sasaki, Managing Director and General Manager of Public Relations Tel: 81-3-33658030 Financial Analysts - Shizuo Mizukami, Manager of Investor Relations - Kunio Takayama, Manager of Accounting Dept. Tel: 81-3-33658011 Stock Code No. 8564 - TYOSE London Stock Exchange AVS No. 802823 On March 18, 2002, Tokyo: Takefuji Corporation released today news release for credit card. Takefuji Got License as Principal Membership from MasterCard International.    Takefuji has been entitled to the license for MasterCard principal membership by the MasterCard International Asia/Pacific Regional Board of Directors and the annual meeting held in Shanghai, China between March 11 and 14, 2002.    We are able to enter into credit card business by taking advantage of MasterCard in addition to the existing consumer finance business. The outline is as follows; The Outline 1. Purpose of License Acquisition    As we have been conducting research and survey on various kinds of business which may have synergy effect upon our core consumer finance, credit card has been our major line of feasible study in that we have well recognized its importance as a tool for settlement of personal commercial transactions. We believe it a golden opportunity for us to obtain the license in light of the recent development of IC card function as the main stream. 2. Outline and Function of License <1> It becomes possible for us to issue own card with the MasterCard brand which added the original service function of our Yen Card by acquisition of a license. <2> As for a series of credit card operations, we will start credit examination, credit control, advance payment, and acquiring operations. <3> Our company can get the commission collected from a member's store of a MasterCard brand, and the commission which a card member pays in revolving repayment in the members' store of a MasterCard brand in Japan and overseas. <4> When the card of MasterCard brand is used in the members' stores which our company developed as new members, commission can be obtained from a members' store. 3. Date of License Acquisition March 12, 2002 4. Business Schedule    We plan to start issuing credit cards to our customer and acquiring new stores (developing the new store) at around Oct. 2002. 5. Future Plan <1> Sale of new products and new service by making credit settlement-of-accounts function add to the present products of our company. <2> Offer the opportunity of credit cards use to such customers who have not credit cards before. <3> Introduction and setting up of payment system by developing of new members' stores to local cities.    We are also considering that the possibilities to develop such card business as we may contribute to local communities by making use of our credit assessment knowledge developed by our core consumer finance, our efficient business model and the network throughout the country in which we take great pride. 6. Future plan for credit card in number    We plan to issue credit card 1 million cards for first year and 4.5 million cards at the 5th year. Back by Takefuji co.