Sharp Corp. plans to drastically reduce production of liquid crystal display panels for televisions at its plant in Mie Prefecture and shift the focus to producing LCD panels for smartphones, according to the company's restructuring plan.
The struggling electronics maker intends to end production of 32-inch LCD panels for home-use TVs at the Kameyama plant around 2014 as prices for such TVs have plunged amid intense competition with South Korean rivals, according to the restructuring plan, which was obtained Wednesday.
The plant produces "Kameyama model" televisions that are highly praised in Japan for their quality.
LCD panel production for TVs at the plant will be limited to panels for ultralarge TVs, according to the plan.
Sharp aims to increase the factory utilization rate at the plant, where the company produces LDC panels for Apple Inc.'s iPhone 5, to near full capacity in the near future.