Promoting Joint Venture Business through Making At-Loan Joint Venture Company between SMBC and Promise

Tokyo, November 12, 2004 --- Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. ("SMFG," President and CEO: Yoshifumi Nishikawa), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation ("SMBC," President and CEO: Yoshifumi Nishikawa), and Promise Co., Ltd. ("Promise," President: Hiroki Jinnai) today agreed in principle to make At-Loan Co., Ltd. ("At-Loan," a consolidated subsidiary of SMBC, President: Masaaki Shimojima) a joint venture for promoting the consumer finance business under the strategic alliance between SMFG and Promise.

Concrete methods of making At-Loan a joint venture, such as the third-party allotment of new At-Loan shares to Promise, will be announced when decided following further discussions.