The Sogo department store group unveiled a comprehensive revival plan Wednesday that includes the closure of nine of its 22 existing stores and the slashing of the group's workforce by 3,100 employees to 6,000.
Osaka-based Sogo Co. and the remaining 12 other companies in the group, including its Yokohama and Chiba outlets, will continue operations and merge in February to create a new department store carrying the same Sogo brand name, company officials said.
The nine department stores, including Kinshicho Sogo in Tokyo's Sumida Ward, Sapporo Sogo in Hokkaido and Toyota Sogo in Aichi Prefecture, will be separated from Sogo's restructuring efforts, according to the plan, which was submitted to the Tokyo District Court the same day.