Tokyo - The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has announced that its subsidiary Yokohama Tire Corporation, became an official sponsor of the Los Angeles Auto Show 2006, which was recognized and designated an international auto show this year. The period of sponsorship is three years. This year's show will be staged from November 29 through December 10 (November 29 and 30 will be press days).

With participation by automobile-related industries from all over the world, the L.A. Auto Show attracts more than one million visitors annually. Given the high level of global attention and the fact that it is expected to become even larger in the years ahead, it has been officially designated an international auto show. Combined with the already-designated Detroit Motor Show, there are now for the first time anywhere in the world two international auto shows in one country.

Yokohama Rubber seeks to improve its worldwide recognition in the industry and the image of "high-performance Yokohama tires" - including "ADVAN" - by serving as an official sponsor of the show with an even stronger presence thanks to its newly elevated status of an international auto show.

Yokohama Tire Corporation is Yokohama Rubber's production and sales base in North America. With its network of 4,500 sales outlets across the country, the company produces and sells a wide range of tires for luxury cars, light trucks, passenger cars, commercial trucks, buses, off-road vehicles, construction vehicles, and more.