Protection of confidential information

SMK has established trade secret management rules and trade secret management criteria to ensure the thorough protection and management of important secret information owned by the Group. In the trade secret management rules, it is stipulated that the Group will appropriately use and prevent leakage of its trade secrets and company secrets and comply with laws and regulations relating to such secrets. Specific management methods are stipulated in the trade secret management criteria and based on this stipulation, all divisions in the Group are endeavoring to manage important secret information under the management of the Trade Secret Committee. In the case of secrets that require inter-departmental management, six expert committees have been established, including the Electronic Information Security Planning Committee responsible for the management and protection of information networks and information systems. These committees manage trade and company secrets in their relevant area of expertise.

Protection of IT security

In April 2005, to take into account changes in the social environment and to protect electronic information and manage it thoroughly, SMK set up the SMK Information Security Policy that it now implements. Based on this policy, it implements the following :
  ●Internal auditing of IT security.
  ●IT security training (Aimed at work site managers).


To prevent incidents or accidents related to information security, we have also strengthened countermeasures to information leaks by taking the following steps :
  ●Strengthening of administration of information that can be removed from the company.
  ●Encryption of data removed from the company.

Protection of technical information

Promoted by increasing demands for fair corporate practices and corporate social responsibility, revisions which came into effect in November 2005 were made to the Law Against Unfair Competition. At SMK, we set up the SMK Secret Technical information Management Policy in August 2006 to ensure appropriate management of confidential technical information and these regulations oblige us to handle in an appropriate manner our own confidential technical information, as well as company secrets from our customers and suppliers that we have obtained under contract. We are currently carrying out in-house training and working hard to provide a thorough understanding of this issue.

Protection of personal information

SMK is aware of the importance of protection of personal information and in March 2005 established a basic policy on the protection of personal information. Based on this policy, we have informed executives and employees of the issue and tried to handle the protection of personal information in an appropriate manner.

Protection of intellectual property

SMK is striving to make a contribution to society and business through the creation, protection and use of intellectual property. It is doing this by :
  ●Obeying laws and regulations concerning the protection of intellectual property.
  ●Actively inventing new items and performing creative activities and then obtaining, managing and using the rights in fitting with those results.
  ●Respecting other parties' intellectual property rights and not committing any act that infringes those rights intentionally.
  ●Conducting in-house training and awareness-raising activities regarding intellectual property.

Trade Secret Management Committee

SMK stipulated matters relating to the protection and management of trade secrets, which are important information owned by the company, and established the Trade Secret Management Regulations to ensure the proper use of and to prevent leakage of trade secrets, and compliance with laws and regulations. Based on these regulations, the Trade Secret Management Committee has planned and promoted the management of trade secrets.
　Six lower branch expert committees controlled and supervised by the Trade Secret Management Committee have established basic rules, management criteria and implementation procedures relating to the definition of and management methods of trade secrets in their particular fields of expertise. They are also promoting trade secret management by paying attention to the following items and by endeavoring to protect trade secret management;
　 ●Storage and transportation of trade secret documents
　 ●Perusal of trade secret documents
　 ●Duplication of trade secret documents
　 ●Taking trade secret documents outside the company
　 ●Disposal of trade secret documents