$25 Billion Merger to Form a Front-runner in Japan Lease Finance

Tokyo, April 13, 2007 ... White & Case acted for UFJ Central Leasing Co. Ltd in connection with its merger with Diamond Lease Company Limited in a deal that reached a successful conclusion less than six months after the signing of letters of intent by the parties in October 2006. Both companies are longstanding clients of the Firm.

The merger became effective as of April 1, 2007, and the newly named Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Company Limited will be one of the largest leasing companies in the market with combined revenues of nearly ¥1 trillion ($8.4 billion) and total operating assets of approximately ¥3 trillion ($25 billion). The new entity aims to be the premier comprehensive finance company in Japan and has robust growth targets.

"With increasing convergence between finance products and commercial distribution, and accelerating globalization, the merger was a strategic decision by the parties to secure an appropriate degree of scale suited to changes in the landscape," said Bob Grondine, a senior partner in the Tokyo office. "The White & Case team, led by partner Keiko Tashiro, performed exceptionally well to conclude such a substantial matter in a comparatively short time, and on the target date originally set -- not to mention the size of this merger."

In addition to Keiko Tashiro, Japanese legal counsel Chiho Saito, associates Simon Collins, Tomoko Sekiya and Lupus Sabene advised on the merger.

This deal, one of the four major mergers in Japan this year, is yet another in a series of successes for White & Case's Tokyo office, which was established in 1987, one of the first foreign firms to arrive, and has since grown to be one of the largest.

About White & Case
White & Case LLP is a leading global law firm with more than 2,000 lawyers in 35 offices in 23 countries. Our clients value the breadth and depth of our US, English and local law capabilities and rely on us for their complex cross-border commercial and financial transactions and for international arbitration and litigation. Whether in established or emerging markets, the hallmark of White & Case is our complete dedication to the business priorities and legal needs of our clients.

Contact:
Makiko Hata
Marketing Manager, Tokyo
White & Case LLP
81 3 3259 0223