LG Electronics eyes selling flat TV in Japan again

South Korea's LG Electronics is eyeing re-entering Japan's flat TV market as early as this year, the Nikkei business daily said on Sunday, as the world's No2 TV brand aims to surpass rival Samsung Electronics.                                            
 

The talks being held between LG and major Japanese electronic retailers, which do not sell South Korean maker Samsung's flat screen TVs, will lead to a price battle between LG and its Japanese rivals, the Nikkei said without citing sources.          

LG competes with Japanese manufacturers such as Sharp Corp, Sony Corp and Panasonic Corp in flat screen TVs.                  
 

LG will likely release their flat panel TVs in Japan at the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and is expected to sell LCD TVs, as well as high-end LED-backlit TVs, with 30- and 40-inch screens, the Nikkei said.                                           
 

The South Korean firm stopped selling its LCD TVs in Japan in 2008 but continued sales of other products such as mobile phones and LCD computer monitors, the Nikkei reported.     

LG, which wants to increase its global market share in LCD TVs to 15% this year from 11% last year, said it sold around 5.2 million LCD sets in the first quarter versus a 2010 target of 25 million sets.                                            

While it expects TV sales to remain strong this quarter ahead of the World Cup and a boost in shipments of high-end models, rising component costs and a stronger won currency could crimp earnings as Japanese rivals fight back to win lost market share.