1. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC; President & CEO: Hiroshi Watanabe)^*1 signed on August 27 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MFC Asset Management Public Company Ltd. (MFC; President: Pichit Akrathit) in Thailand for operational cooperation in the environmental and energy efficiency areas.
    
2. The objective of the MOU is to explore the possibility of cooperation in the environmental and energy efficiency areas between JBIC and MFC in Asia. Specifically, the MOU sets out that both parties exchange information and opinions on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other environment improvement projects and consider the structure of cofinancing or coinvestment, as well as the possibility of participation therein by Japanese industries.
    
3. Amid rising international interest in environmental issues, an increasing number of environmental and energy efficiency projects are being planned or undertaken across the world. Japanese industries are also moving to expand their operations in these areas. MFC was established in 1975 as the first asset management company in Thailand by the Government of Thailand and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. It has been focusing on investments in environmental and energy efficiency projects. In May 2007, MFC launched the country's first fund for investing in firms undertaking renewable energy projects. JBIC has strengthened support for Japanese industries engaging in overseas environmental projects through the JBIC Facility for Asia Cooperation and Environment (FACE)^*2 and the Leading Investment to Future Environment Initiative (LIFE Initiative)^*3. Thus, strengthening cooperative ties with MFC is expected to promote Japanese industries' participation in environmental and  energy efficiency projects in Asia.
    
4. JBIC will support the overseas development of environmental and energy efficiency businesses by Japanese industries through forming stronger ties with relevant domestic and foreign firms and organizations.
   
   
   Appendix 1
   Corporate Profile of MFC
   
   1. Name: MFC Asset Management Public Company Ltd.
   2. History and Scope of Business: MFC was founded in 1975 by the Government of Thailand and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) under the name of The Mutual Fund Co., Ltd. to develop the capital market in Thailand. In 2001, the company's name was changed to MFC Asset Management Public Company Limited. As of December 2008, MFC managed 147 funds with a total net asset of 216,474 million baht (about 601,797.72 million yen). In May 2007, MFC launched the first fund in Thailand for investing in renewable energy projects.
   3. Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand
   4. Total Employees: 210 (as of the end of 2007)
   5. President: Dr. Pichit Akrathit
   
   Appendix 2
   MFC website: http://www.mfcfund.com/php/eng/index_stop.php

Note

1. *1 JBIC is the international wing of the Japan Finance Corporation (JFC; Governor: Shosaku Yasui).
2. *2 FACE was established in April 2008 as one component of Cool Earth Partnership, a new financial mechanism of the Japanese government for supporting developing countries in addressing climate change. It was announced by former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda in his speech delivered in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2008.
3. *3 See Information on March 23, 2009, “Establishing Leading Investment to Future Environment (LIFE) Initiative.”
4.