Panasonic to Sponsor WWF’s Arctic Program

SECAUCUS, N.J., Oct. 8, 2008 – Panasonic (NYSE: PC) has signed up to become one of the first corporate sponsors of WWF’s work on the Arctic. The WWF International Arctic Program’s goal is to create a new approach to understanding and managing the Arctic via a four-pronged approach:

·         Communicating the global implications of Arctic climate change

·         Ensuring the Arctic biosphere does not become a new source of atmospheric carbon

·         Eliminating the additional pressures on the environment caused by unsustainable exploitative activities

·         Establishing governance regimes that conserve the ecosystems and species of the Arctic for future generations

“The WWF Arctic Program is an important project and we are excited to be involved,” said Yoshiiku Miyata, CEO of Panasonic Europe. “This sponsorship is part of a renewed vigor for one of Panasonic’s business visions related to coexistence with the global environment, which supports the company’s ongoing commitment to preserving our global environment.”

The WWF Arctic program seeks to eliminate existing and looming threats to the Arctic, a region that is a vital component of the global climate system.

“We are delighted to welcome Panasonic as a corporate sponsor for our Arctic Program,” said Dr. Chris Hails, Director of Network Relations at WWF International. “The contribution of Panasonic is a welcome first step for us in securing the support we need to help protect and preserve the Arctic.”

Panasonic’s support will enable WWF to scale up Arctic activities at a time when the Arctic faces unprecedented change. Those activities include devising and promoting governance and management regimes to help protect Arctic ecosystems, eliminating illegal fishing activities, and researching, monitoring, and supporting the continued well-being of key arctic species such as polar bears.

For Panasonic, the initiative is an important part of its global Eco Ideas Strategy, which aims to improve the efficiency of products, increase environmental performance at manufacturing sites and encourage people such as consumers and employees to take their own initiative regarding the environment through proactively engaging with local communities around the world.

For further information on the aims and objectives of the Arctic Program, please visit http://www.panda.org/arctic.

For further information on Panasonic’s Eco Ideas initiative, please see www.panasonic.net/eco.

About WWF

WWF, the global conservation organization, is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF has a global network active in over 100 countries with almost 5 million supporters. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by:

• conserving the world's biological diversity 
• ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable
• promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

Further information about WWF is available at: www.panda.org.

About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 9.07 trillion yen (US$90.7 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2008. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE: PC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/.