Press ReleasesNippon Paper Industries Launches Wind Power Generation Business in Akita-shi, AkitaFurther Expansion of Renewable Energy Following Biomass and Solar Power

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (President: Fumio Manoshiro; hereinafter called "Nippon Paper Industries") and Venti Japan Inc. (President: Hiroyuki Sato; hereinafter called "Venti Japan") have established a joint venture, Nippon Paper Venti Wind Power Co., Ltd., (hereinafter called "Joint Venture"), and will launch a wind power generation business in Mukaihama, Akita-shi, Akita.

The Coast of Akita has good wind conditions, and is widely known as one of the most suitable locations for wind power generation in Japan. The Joint Venture will be funded by Hokuto Bank, Ltd., and will place an order with Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd to install three wind turbines in the location adjacent to Nippon Paper Industries' Akita Mill. Power generation operations will commence in January 2018, and the electricity to be generated will be sold to Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc. utilizing the feed-in tariff (FIT) system for renewable energy.

Nippon Paper Industries incorporated the transformation of the business structure into the Fifth Medium-Term Business Plan (2015-2017), and is focusing on the expansion of its energy business. We are working on business development while keeping three perspectives in mind, namely environment, stable supply, and competitiveness. In expanding the energy business, we will concentrate on developing renewable energy, which contributes to preventing global warming. We have conducted the biomass power generation business utilizing 100% unused woody materials at Yatsushiro Mill, and the solar power generation business on the company's owned land in Komatsushima and at Otake Mill.

We have also launched the installation of additional facilities (13MW) in the solar power generation business on the company's owned land in Komatsushima. This is one of Shikoku's largest mega solar project with a scale of 34MW (module capacity) power generation, including the portions that are already in operation (21MW.) We will strive to further expand the renewable energy business by taking new measures.