Notice Concerning Shelf Registration for Issuance of Stock Acquisition Rights

At a meeting of the Board of Directors held on April 6, 2006, Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo Metals) decided to introduce the Policy toward Large-scale Purchases of Sumitomo Metals Shares (Anti-Takeover Defense Plan). Consequently, Sumitomo Metals filed a shelf registration statement to provide for the issuance of stock acquisition rights, which may be invoked as one countermeasure if the large-scale purchase rules stipulated in this policy have not been complied with. The introduction of this policy was discussed as an item on the agenda at Sumitomo Metals' 83rd ordinary general shareholders' meeting held on June 27, 2006, and was approved by a majority of voting rights of the shareholders present.

On this occasion, as the scheduled issuance period for the previously mentioned shelf registration (a period of two years until April 13, 2008) will soon expire, Sumitomo Metals decided at a meeting of the Board of Directors held on March 31, 2008 to file another shelf registration statement. Accordingly, a notice regarding this matter is provided below.

For details regarding the Policy toward Large-scale Purchases of Sumitomo Metals Shares, please refer to the news release entitled "Sumitomo Metals Announces Policy Toward Large-scale Purchases of Sumitomo Metals Shares (Anti-takeover Defense Plan)," which was issued on April 6, 2006 and is available by clicking here.