Former Chairman of the Board and CEO YOSHIDA, Shoichiro, to receive IEEE Award of Achievements

June 14, 2006

YOSHIDA, Shoichiro, Corporate Adviser of Nikon Corporation (President: KARIYA, Michio) has been named recipient of the 2006 IEEE Robert N. Noyce Medal. The award will be presented to him at the IEEE Honors Ceremony on Saturday, June 24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc) is the world's leading professional association for the advancement of technology, consisting of more than 365,000 members in over 150 countries. The Robert N. Noyce Medal is given to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the microelectronics industry in multiple areas including technology development, business development, industry leadership, development of technology policy, and standards development. Listed among the past Japanese recipients are Mr. Hajime SASAKI of NEC Corporation (2001, Chairman of the Board) and Mr. Yoshio NISHI of Texas Instruments Inc. (2002, Senior Vice President and Director of Research & Development Group at that time), and Mr. Craig R. Barrett of Intel Corporation (2004, President & CEO at that time) and Mr. Wilfred J. Corrigan of LSI Logic Corporation (2005, Chairman & CEO at that time) are its recipients in the recent 2 years.

The reasons given for the award are his contribution to, and leadership in, the technology and business development of IC lithography. Yoshida oversaw initiatives that led to major milestones in IC lithography. One of his most notable accomplishments is the development of advanced steppers and scanners, high-precision instruments used in the complex process of making integrated circuits. Yoshida led an R&D team that developed the industry's first production-worthy stepper in 1980. Over time, Yoshida directed many projects that led to the development of high-performance lithography systems that enabled manufacturing of the most advanced IC devices. His leadership helped establish Nikon as the international leader in the lithography market.

YOSHIDA, Shoichiro has also received a number of awards, including the Science and Technology Agency President Award in 1984, the Medal with Blue Ribbon, Japan's premier award for technology achievement in 1991 and the Order of the Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier from the French Government in 2003.

Curriculum Vitae of YOSHIDA, Shoichiro

Born : Tokyo, August 25, 1932

Occupation at Nikon

April 1956	Joined Nippon Kogaku K.K. (Nikon Corporation after April 1988)
June 1983	Elected Member of the Board, Director of Industrial Supplies & Equipment Division
June 1987	Elected Managing Director
June 1989	Elected Senior Managing Director
June 1993	Elected Executive Vice President
June 1997	Elected President
June 2001	Elected Chairman and CEO
June 2005	Corporate Advisor

Occupation outside Nikon

October 1985 -September 1990	Appointed Project Director, Yoshida Nano-Mechanism Project, Research Development Corporation of Japan
May 1997	Elected President, SEAJ
July 1998	Elected Chairman of SEMI Board of Directors
March 2000	Elected President, The Japan Society for Precision Engineering
July 2001	Elected Director Emeritus of the SEMI Board
May 2002	Elected Chairman, Japan Telescope Industries Association
June 2002	Elected Chairman, Japan Optical Industry Association

The information is current as of the date of publication. It is subject to change without notice.