The magnitude-6.8 earthquake (on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7) that occurred on July 16th affected a wide area centering on Niigata Prefecture in Northern Japan.

After the occurrence of the earthquake at 10:13 a.m. Monday morning (Japan time), Shin-Etsu Chemical's Naoetsu Plant (in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture) and other Shin-Etsu Group companies' plants in Niigata and Nagano Prefectures suspended their operations and immediately implemented safety confirmation measures to ascertain whether or not any damage occurred.

At this time, the results of these confirmation measures are that no Shin-Etsu people were injured nor was there any damage to buildings and manufacturing facilities that would cause any hindrance to their operations.

Each of these Shin-Etsu facilities will restart operations as soon as their safety confirmation measures have been completed.