Liquid-crystal display televisions outdid plasma TVs in Japan's large flat-screen TV market in February for the first time, a market survey agency announced Wednesday.

LCD TVs accounted for 50.5 percent of 37-inch and larger flat-screen TV sales in volume in the month and 51.8 percent in value at 3,500 general merchandise stores nationwide, GfK Marketing Services Japan Ltd. claimed.

LCD TVs' share of the large flat-screen TV market jumped from 28 percent in the same month last year as Sharp Corp. and Sony Corp. launched over-40-inch models.