Moody’s assigns A2 ratings to the Sumitomo Corporation’s series 37

Tokyo, July 10, 2009 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned A2 ratings 
to the issue of Series 37 JPY10 billion due 2019 Japan domestic bonds by 
Sumitomo Corporation (Sumitomo). The rating outlook is stable. These are 
takedowns from the company's JPY200 billion domestic shelf registration 
of December 2007, which is rated (P)A2.

The A2 ratings for Sumitomo are supported by the company's 1) diversified
business portfolio, with a relatively low dependence on earnings from 
the energy and metal segments, 2) strong commitment to risk management 
and internal control. The ratings also incorporate Sumitomo's leveraged 
balance sheet and the fundamental business risks inherent to a Japanese 
trading company.

Moody's last rating action with respect to Sumitomo was taken on June 5, 
2006, when the senior unsecured debt and issuer ratings were upgraded to 
A2 from A3. At the same time, Moody's has upgraded the long-term ratings 
of the company's supported subsidiaries to A2 from A3.

Sumitomo's rating was assigned by evaluating factors we believe are 
relevant to its credit profile, such as franchise value, risk 
positioning, operating and regulatory environment, and financial 
fundamentals versus its competitors, as well as the company's projected 
performance in the near to medium term. These attributes were compared to 
those of other issuers both inside and outside its core industry.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Sumitomo Corporation is one of the largest
Japanese Trading Companies.

Tokyo
Tetsuya Yamamoto
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Japan K.K.
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