TDK to Join Blu-ray Disc Founders
First recording media manufacturer to join

Hanover, Germany, March 18, 2004－TDK Corporation announced that from March 2004, it will join the Blu-ray Disc Founders^* (BDF) group. TDK's entry marks the first by a manufacturer of recording media.

Through its research and development of optical discs, TDK has conducted necessary technical development for the next-generation disc utilizing the blue laser, including:

• Hard coating technology to enable production of a “bare”disc that does not require a protective cartridge
• Multiple layering technology for the recording layer, to make possible increased disc capacity
• High-speed recording layer technology to enable faster disc reading and writing operations, etc.

In addition to its publicizing of the results of developments at academic conferences, etc., TDK has achieved early success in developing the write-once type of blue laser disc, the standard for which is expected to be determined in the near future, and TDK has offered proposals for its technical specifications and others.

In the backdrop of TDK’s entry into BDF is the high regard with which its technical developments and other activities have been received by BDF members.

To name one key example, TDK-developed “hard-coating technology”enables the Blu-ray disc to be produced “bare,”(i.e., without requiring a cartridge) --- an achievement once regarded as posing considerable difficulties. Freeing the disc from a cartridge will not only realize reduced costs, but provide users with the convenience of being able to handle Blu-ray discs in the same manner as the current DVD. TDK’s “multi-layer recording layer technology”and “high-speed recording layer technology”also stand out as top class development successes in the industry and while providing strong support to the increased capacity and higher speed of the Blu-ray Disc in the future, TDK believes these will be able to make a significant contribution to expanding the range of future applications.