Hitachi Ltd. and Itochu Corp. said Monday they have agreed to form a comprehensive alliance in the information technology sector.
The focus of the tieup -- the first of its kind between a Japanese electronics company and trading house -- will be development of information systems.
Hitachi's technological expertise will be combined with Itochu's system networks in an effort to raise the firms' share of the information system development market.
They said they will mainly target corporate clients in the information, telecommunications, distribution and financial sectors.
Specifics of the alliance are to be worked out by October.
The companies said they may also jointly invest in biotechnology and nanotechnology startups.