Translation of the Japanese press release

JAFCO Co., Ltd. Contact: Investor Relations

1-5-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku Tel: +81-3-5223-7073

Tokyo 100-0004 Japan ir@jafco.co.jp

http://www.jafco.co.jp

October 31, 2017

Announcement Regarding Acquisition of Shares in PAPABUBBLE JAPAN INC.

JAFCO Co., Ltd. has announced that JAFCO-managed funds (JAFCO SV5 Investment Limited Partnership and JAFCO SV5-STAR Investment Limited Partnership; hereafter collectively referred to as "JAFCO") acquired shares in PAPABUBBLE JAPAN INC. (head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; hereafter "the Company") through transfer from the shareholders and formed a capital alliance under the support of Nihon M&A Center Inc.

The Company operates Papabubble art-candy-stores founded in Barcelona. Since opening its first store in Japan in 2005, it has opened 10 additional stores, including in Daimaru Tokyo, Lucua Osaka, and Ginza Six department stores (as of the end of September 2017).

The candies have the unique texture that melts in your mouth and the delicate scent of sweetness. The ingredients and the boiling temperature are adjusted to each season to make jewel-like candies with beautiful shiny surface. In the store, you can see artisans making candies. Liquid candy is poured from a giant pot on to a table, kneaded and pulled into a form of stick, and cut beautifully into small pieces. Watching such entertaining performance makes you feel like you are in a small theater.

JAFCO has acquired all shares in the Company to increase awareness of the Papabubble brand and have more people try the candies, and to support the growth of a reborn company.

About PAPABUBBLE JAPAN

Company name

PAPABUBBLE JAPAN INC.

Website

http://www.papabubble.jp/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/PAPABUBBLE-JP-273165492715530/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/papabubblejapan/

Head office

17-2 Kamiyama-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Business line

Operation of Papabubble art-candy-stores

JAFCO Co. Ltd. published this content on 31 October 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 31 October 2017 08:17:03 UTC.

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