KYOCERA Resumes U.S. Sales of Ceramic Orthopedic Implant Components Company offers new ceramic components for implant system manufacturers

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- (April 7, 2008) -- Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corporation today announced that it will be the official North American representative of Japan Medical Materials Corporation (JMM) for sales of biocompatible ceramic structural components used in orthopedic systems.

JMM components are immediately available from Kyocera to manufacturers of medical implant products, including “total hip” and “total knee” joint-replacement systems. The components incorporate a wide range of biocompatible ceramics, including alumina and zirconia; bioactive coatings, such as hydroxyapatite; medical-grade alloys, such as titanium and vanadium-free titanium; and medical-grade ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

Kyocera gained practical experience with U.S. regulatory processes through its preliminary marketing of biocompatible components here beginning in the 1980s. The company shifted its development efforts to Japan in the mid-1990s, where it has achieved a high level of clinical success. Building on these experiences, Kyocera believes the JMM components can support medical system manufacturers in their efforts to meet the regulatory requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“The JMM product line represents decades of development, trials and clinical use, with exceptional success rates among tens of thousands of patients throughout Japan,” said John Rigby, president of Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corporation. “These proven components can be instrumental to medical implant system manufacturers in their process of gaining permission to market the next generation of orthopedic joint replacement systems in the United States.”

About Japan Medical Materials Corporation

Japan Medical Materials Corporation, based in Osaka, is a joint venture founded in 2004 by Kyocera Corporation and Kobe Steel, Ltd. to provide biocompatible components and systems for use in orthopedic joint replacement applications. The company is based on material synergies gained through Kyocera’s extensive development of biocompatible ceramics since 1973, and Kobe Steel’s development of medical-grade alloys since 1984.

About Kyocera Corporation

Kyocera Corporation (NYSE: KYO) (http://global.kyocera.com), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of advanced ceramics. By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of ceramic materials and components, electronic components and devices, semiconductor packages, solar energy systems, printers, copiers, and telecommunications equipment. During the year ended March 31, 2007, Kyocera Corporation's consolidated net sales totaled approximately US$10.8 billion (JP¥1,283,897 million) with net income of approximately US$902 million (JP¥106,504 million).

Contact:                    John Mastrogiacomo

                                    Medical Components Division
                                    Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corp.
                                    220 Davidson Ave, Somerset, NJ 08873
                                    Tel: 732-563-4340          Fax: 732-627-9594
                                    john.mastrogiacomo@kyocera.com

#   #   #