The Industrial Revitalization Corp. of Japan has picked a consortium led by trading house Marubeni Corp. as the sponsor for rebuilding troubled supermarket chain Daiei Inc., sources said Tuesday.
The state-backed corporate bailout agency's basic choice of the Marubeni-led consortium will be announced later this week when personnel-related matters are settled, the sources said.
IRCJ picked the Marubeni-led consortium, which includes Japanese fund Advantage Partners Inc., because the trading house has closer ties to the struggling retailer than its two rivals -- entities led by supermarket chain Aeon Co. and by investment fund Kiacon Corp.