TOKYO – Sony is to sell its former headquarters, continuing with CEO Kaz Hirai‘s strategy of disposing of non-essential assets as part of his restructuring efforts at the struggling entertainment to electronics corporation.
There are currently around 1,000 employees, many of them in Sony’s medical division, working at the site in central Tokyo near its current HQ building, where they are expected to relocate to. The NS Building served as the company’s head office until 2007, and stands in the district where Sony was founded in the aftermath of World War Two. Sony’s original office is now a museum.
STORY: Sony Quarterly Film Unit Profit Drops
Sony declined to comment on the sale, but leading business daily the Nikkei reported that a deal would be expected to raise around $145 million (?15 billion).
Sony forecast a $1.1 billion loss for the year to March during the earnings announcement at its headquarters last month.
STORY: Sony in Talks to Sell Struggling Computer Business to Equity Fund
The PlayStation 4 was launched in Japan on Feb 22, having already logged forecast-beating sales of 5.3 million units worldwide. It was the first time a new Sony game console hasn’t bowed in Japan before overseas markets.
Twitter: @GavinJBlair
