Yamaha Motor Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against IAI Corporation

June 3, 2009

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (The "Company") filed a patent infringement lawsuit against IAI Corporation ("IAI", head office: 416-4, Obane, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan) today in the Osaka District Court, in which the Company contends that the robot controller^Note1 and linear-motor single-axis robot^Note2 manufactured and sold by IAI infringe the Company's patent rights* (Patent Nos. 3542615 and 4105586) and seeks prohibition of the manufacture and sales of both products, as well as compensation for damages in respect to the infringement.

The Company had been trying to reach an amicable resolution of the patent infringement issue through negotiation, but IAI rejected the Company's proposal for an out-of-court settlement. Under the circumstances, the Company determined that it would be difficult to resolve the issue through negotiation; thus, it was compelled to file the lawsuit.

The Company counts its intellectual property rights as core management resources, and will continue to vigorously defend against any infringement upon them.

* Yamaha Motor's patent rights under litigation

Patent No. 3542615:	Control device incorporated in multiple robot products
Patent No. 4105586:	Linear-motor single-axis robot

Note 1:	The term "robot controller" refers to a control device that controls single-axis and Cartesian robots.
Note 2:	The term "linear-motor single-axis robot" refers to a robot that is operated by linear motors and performs assembly and/or inspection of automotive/electronic parts.