2008 Communiqués de presse

Tokyo - Manulife Life Insurance Company (Manulife Japan; President & CEO: Craig Bromley), will commence sales of “Jack-in-the-Box”, an innovative investment-type annuity insurance product that enables customers to lock in and ensure investment gains, through Fukushima Bank. (President: Kunitake Konno) on February 19, 2008.

This new investment-type annuity insurance product, designed and developed to meet the needs of customers who have been looking for an opportunity to invest their funds in a simple and easy-to-understand manner, is equipped with a set of cutting-edge features. These features include: 1) an investment target-setting function that allows customers to easily set up a desirable and clear investment target level, based upon which their funds can be aggressively invested into a Special Account with a proven and internationally diversified investment portfolio, 2) an investment gains lock-in function that automatically locks in and secures any investment gain if the investment target is achieved, effective after the first anniversary following the policy date, and 3) a function to guarantee the minimum total annuity.

This new insurance product is named“Jack-in-the-Box”because it is user-friendly and full of attractive features, which will be a pleasant surprise to customers.

The following is an overview of the new features ofJack-in-the-Box:

• Customers may set a desirable investment target, based upon which their funds will be aggressively invested into a Special Account with a proven and internationally diversified investment portfolio.
  At the time of contract, customers may set up a desirable investment target level (a percentage of accumulated funds of the Base Face Amount). Also, they will be able to freely choose between two different types of Special Accounts, “Global Balance 75 (with 75% equities)” or “Global Balance 50 (with 50% equities),” consistent with their investment objectives.
  
  
• If the investment target is achieved, any investment gains will be automatically locked in and secured, effective after the first anniversary following the policy date.
  If the investment target set by a customer is achieved, the customer will be notified by mail by Manulife Japan. The accumulated funds as of the date when the investment target is achieved will be automatically transferred from the Special Account to a General Account, where they will be kept as part of policy reserves, so that investment gains will be preserved trouble-free, without any hassle on the part of the customers.
  
  
• The Total Annuity to be paid out after the maturity of the accumulation period will be guaranteed at a minimum equivalent to 100% of the Base Face Amount.
  Even if the set investment target is not achieved due to unfavorable investment performance, 100% of the Base Face Amount will be guaranteed at a minimum. (90% of the Base Face Amount will be guaranteed at a minimum when a customer selects to invest in “Global Balance 75” but elects not to extend the asset management period.)

About Manulife
Manulife Life Insurance Company (“Manulife Japan”), a member company of the Manulife Financial group, holds the highest level "AAA" financial strength rating from Standard & Poor’s, one of the world’s most reliable credit rating agencies (as of the end of January 2008).

Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$399 billion (US$400.5 billion) as at September 30, 2007. Manulife Financial is one of two publicly traded life insurance companies in North America whose rated life insurance subsidiaries hold Standard & Poor’s Rating Services’ highest “AAA” rating.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘0945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com. Manulife Japan can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.co.jp.

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For information related to this press release please contact:
Manulife Life Insurance Company
Saeko Yoshioka
Communications Department
Tel: 042-442-7180