Japan: Western Digital to discuss Toshiba with officials

Western Digital Corp’s CEO is in Japan to meet government officials, attempting to resolve a dispute with Toshiba Corp over the Japanese company’s planned sale of its chip business, sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, July 17.

In June, Toshiba announced its preferred bidder was a group made up of Japanese-government backed funds, Bain Capital and South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix.

Western Digital, a joint venture partner with Toshiba which also wants to buy the memory chip business, sought an injunction to block the transaction, arguing that any sale required its consent.

Western Digital CEO Steve Milligan is meeting with officials who were recently appointed to senior positions at the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the sources said.

It is unclear whether Milligan will meet Toshiba executives, said the sources, who declined to be named because the talks were private.

A Western Digital spokeswoman confirmed Milligan’s visit to Japan but declined to comment on details.

Full Content: Reuters

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