New Assignments for Yokohama Tire Executives

Reorganization includes one promotion and three transfers from Japan to replace personnel reassigned to Yokohama Rubber Co.

Contact: Bill Groak, PCGCampbell, 310/224-4940 bgroak@pcgcampbell.com

FULLERTON, Calif. (October 1, 2007) - Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) announced the reassignment of several executives and one promotion.

Takao Oishi assumed the new title of YTC Executive Vice President of Operations. Oishi's responsibilities are in the areas of MIS, logistics, strategic marketing and operations. This is Oishi's first assignment in the U.S.; he spent the last two years as President of Yokohama Europe and lived in DŸsseldorf, Germany.

Kenichi Shirai was named YTC Chief Advisor, Strategic Marketing. Shirai will oversee product planning and strategic marketing. Shirai, also on his first assignment in the U.S., has a mix of marketing and engineering backgrounds and was instrumental in the development of the first generation ADVAN Neova® tire as well as the Parada Spec-X®. He also worked with the environmental Eco-Motion group that helped produce the Super E-Spec™, an all-new consumer passenger tire that combines citrus oil with natural rubber to form a new compound called "Super Nano Power Rubber (SNPR)" which reduces the petrochemical portion of overall tire weight to only 20 percent.

Iwao Shimomura was named YTC Senior Director, Corporate Quality Assurance. Iwao Shimomura, whose nickname is Rocky, is one of Yokohama's foremost experts in tire development and quality testing. This will be Shimomura's second stint in the U.S. - he worked in YTC's Salem, Va. plant from 1991-'94 as manager of tire development. In his new position, Shimomura will oversee tire development, technology and quality assurance.

Also at YTC, Satoshi Miyata was promoted to CFO and Treasurer. Prior to this, he held the position of Treasurer and has been at Yokohama, Fullerton for over four years.

Additionally, three YTC corporate executives have returned to Japan-based Yokohama Rubber Company (YRC) for new assignments: Takaharu Fushimi was named YRC General Manager, Tire Overseas Sales & Marketing DeparTMent No. 1; Tadayoshi Hiraga was named General Manager, Tire Overseas Technical Service DeparTMent; and Takeshi Masatomo assumed the new title of YRC Manager, Passenger Car & Light Truck Tires Product Planning DeparTMent.

Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global producer and distributor of premium tires since 1917. Servicing a network of more than 4,500 points of sale in the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation offers a complete line of tires, including high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, as well as off-the-road mining and construction applications. For more information on Yokohama's extensive product line, visit www.yokohamatire.com.

Yokohama is a strong supporter of the tire care and safety guidelines established by the Rubber Manufacturers Association and the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration. Details can be found at the "Taking Care of Your Tires" section at www.yokohamatire.com.