Panasonic Teams Up With US Olympic Figure Skater Mirai Nagasu

VANCOUVER, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Panasonic, the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and a world leader in High Definition technology, announced today that it has teamed with US Olympian, Mirai Nagasu, one of the youngest Olympians, to compete in the women's figure skating competition at the Vancouver Games. Mirai will work with Panasonic on a range of projects including a skating video, shot entirely in Full HD 3D for viewing on 3D TV.

The sixteen year-old 2008 US Champion from Arcadia, CA, who is competing in her first Olympic Games, will work with Panasonic to create a demonstration video on the key elements in an Olympic figure skating program, which Panasonic will present on its Living In HD site, a support-site for people who are interested in all the different HD products available today.

Ms. Nagasu and her family will also become members of Panasonic's Living In HD Family Program (www.LivingInHD.com) and will be the first family in the program to receive a Full HD 3D Home Theater System.

First launched in August 2007, the Living In HD program was created to help people get the answers they need about the emerging HD, and now 3D products coming to market by communicating with real people who are actually using the technology in their everyday lives, and a true technology guru referred to as the "Answer Man". Participating families receive a suite of interconnected High Definition products, including VIERA Flat Panel HDTVs, home theater systems, Blu-ray Disc™ players, LUMIX digital cameras and HD camcorders. They provide feedback on how they use the products in their everyday lives and share their own inspirational and creative project ideas through the LivingInHD.com community website.  LivingInHD.com is a community for people who share their life experiences with others through photos and videos, learn new tips and tricks and connect with others who are interested and excited about High Definition technology. The Living In HD community is powered by people who have answers and those who have questions, in an environment that fosters sharing, inspiration and growth.

Ms. Nagasu will share daily "tweets" and Facebook messages with fellow LivingInHD.com community members for behind-the-scenes insights of her first Olympic experience, as she prepares for the Olympic Figure Skating competition on February 23rd and 25th in Vancouver. The Nagasu family will also utilize Panasonic LUMIX digital cameras and camcorders while at the Vancouver Olympic Games and share the images on LivingInHD.com.

"We are very excited to team up with Mirai, and her family, as they embark on what we know will be an exciting Olympic experience," said Bob Greenberg, Panasonic's Vice President of Brand Marketing for North America. "Mirai has a bright future ahead of her and we're looking forward to the Nagasu family capturing all of the precious moments along the way with Panasonic's award-winning Full HD products, and sharing them with our Living In HD community.  We are also looking forward to working with Mirai to link the highly-visual world of figure skating with the immersive experience of Full HD 3D for the home."

About Panasonic:

Based in Secaucus, NJ, Panasonic Corporation of North America markets a broad line of digital and other electronics products for consumer, business and industrial use. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC), and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Information about Panasonic and its products is available at www.panasonic.com and its Full HD 3D site at www.panasonic.com/3D.  Additional company information for journalists is also available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

Panasonic is proud to support the Olympic Movement -- aimed at promoting world peace through sports -- as an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for more than 20 years since The Olympic Partner (TOP) Program commenced for the Calgary Olympic Winter Games in 1988.  Under the slogan of "Sharing the Passion," Panasonic will contribute to the success of the Olympic Games through its technology. In 2007 Panasonic renewed the partnership with the International Olympic Committee through to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Photos available upon request

SOURCE Panasonic