Merrill Lynch is a global investment bank, with offices in 40 countries and territories, and is a leading global provider of financial solutions. Merrill Lynch is active in markets around the world and has contributed significantly to the rapid growth of derivatives markets in Japan.

The TSE expects that Merrill Lynch's efforts as a Liquidity Provider will greatly contribute to liquidity in the TOPIX options market, creating more efficient asset management and hedging opportunities for Japanese and foreign institutional investors, as well as for all other investors who invest in Japanese stocks using TOPIX as a benchmark.

The TSE introduced the TOPIX Options Liquidity Provider System on June 1, 2008 for the purpose of increasing liquidity in the TOPIX options market. -- www.ftse.com