Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI) today announced that its Gunma Manufacturing Division received ISO 14001 certification, an international standard for environmental management systems, on March 19, 1999, from the Japan Automobile Research Institute Registration Body. The award ceremony was held at the Gunma Manufacturing Division's Main Plant today and was attended by FHI President Takeshi Tanaka and other key personnel.

The Gunma Manufacturing Division is the principal operating center of FHI's Automobile Division. The ISO 14001 certification covers the four plants that comprise the Gunma Manufacturing Division as well as the development, purchasing, and quality assurance divisions in Gunma. FHI began activities related to the implementation of the ISO 14001 system at the Gunma Manufacturing Division in April 1998. All departments cooperated closely in these activities, readying the Division for a preliminary audit in December 1998. The final audit took place in February 1999 and was followed by the announcement of certification in March.

FHI is carrying out activities aimed at achieving ISO 14001 certification at all manufacturing bases throughout Japan by the end of fiscal 1999.

From product and technology development to factory operation, FHI has involved all stages of its business in a comprehensive range of activities aimed at protecting the environment. One of the earliest successes that stemmed from these efforts was the achievement of ISO 14001 certification in November 1998 by Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.a U.S. automobile manufacturing base in the state of Indianaahead of FHI's manufacturing bases in Japan. The subsidiary was the first North American automotive assembly factoryexcluding parts factoriesto obtain such certification.