日本新力退出個人電腦生產市場

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

ソニー:ＰＣ完全撤退、テレビ分社化で５０００人リストラ

毎日新聞　2014年02月06日　20時49分（最終更新　02月06日　23時05分）

　ソニーは６日、「バイオ」ブランドで展開してきたパソコン事業を投資ファンド「日本産業パートナーズ（ＪＩＰ）」（東京）に売却し、今年春モデルを最後に同事業から撤退することを発表した。また、赤字が続くテレビ事業を７月をめどに分社化する方針も発表。両事業などの人員約５０００人（国内１５００人、海外３５００人）を来年３月末までに削減する。両事業のリストラ費を積み増すことなどから、２０１４年３月期の連結最終（当期）損益を、昨年１０月時点の３００億円の黒字から１１００億円の赤字に下方修正。ソニーの苦境が鮮明になった。

　ソニーは、スマートフォンやタブレット端末の急速な普及でパソコン事業が営業赤字に陥っており、３月末までにＪＩＰと売却を正式契約する方針。ＪＩＰが９５％、ソニーが５％を出資して新会社を設立し、バイオブランドのパソコン事業を引き継ぐ。

　新会社設立に伴い、ソニーは今春、国内外のパソコンの開発、製造、販売から撤退する。ただ、顧客へのアフターサービスは続ける。平井一夫社長はパソコン事業の撤退について「（スマホなどの）モバイル機器の急成長による市場変化を踏まえ、スマホとタブレット端末に集中すべきだと判断した」と説明した。

　９年連続で赤字が続いてきたテレビ事業も、１４年３月期に営業黒字化する目標を掲げていたが、２５０億円の赤字になる見通し。このため、テレビ事業を分社化して経営判断のスピードアップや効率化を図る。同日、東京都内のソニー本社で記者会見した平井社長は「テレビ事業の赤字幅は年々縮小しており、分社化で１５年３月期の黒字化を目指す」と語った。

　１４年３月期の連結売上高の予想は、前期比１３．２％増の７兆７０００億円に据え置いた。しかし、パソコン事業の撤退に伴う生産設備の損失処理など約５００億円を計上するほか、テレビ事業などの構造改革費用２００億円を積み増したため、営業利益は予想比５２．９％減の８００億円、最終損益も赤字にそれぞれ下方修正した。

　テレビやパソコンの不振が響き、ソニーの電機分野は１４年３月期で３期連続の赤字となる見通し。ソニーは今後、スマートフォンやゲーム機などに注力し、業績の立て直しを急ぐ。平井社長は業績低迷の責任について「電機分野を再生し、グループ全体の成長に寄与することが使命」と述べた。【柳原美砂子】

(試譯文)

     On the 6th Sony sold off its personal computer business that was developed under the "Vaio" brand name to an investment fund: the "Japanese industrial partners (JIP)" (Tokyo); and announced that its model for this spring would be their final production before the withdrawal of this enterprise. Moreover, a plan to split up in around July its television business which was having a deficit was also announced. About 5000 staff (domestic 1500, overseas 3500) in these two enterprises etc. would be reduced by the end of March next year. Because the restructuring expenses of these two business etc. needed be included, the consolidated final (this term) profit and loss for the term ending March 2014 was revised downwards to a deficit of 110 billion yen from the 30 billion yen surplus as of October last year. The predicament of Sony became clear.

     The personal computer business had fallen into an operating loss due to the rapid popularity of the smart phone and tablet computer, and Sony was planning to complete a formal sale contract with JIP by the end of March. Respectively JIP would contribute 95% and Sony 5% to establish a new company, and to take over the personal computer enterprise under the Vaio brand. With this new company to be established this spring, Sony would withdraw from the development of personal computers inside and outside the country, and also its manufacturing and sales. However, the after-sale service to the customers would continue. About the withdrawal from the personal computer business President Kazuo Hirai explained that "it is judged that we should concentrate on smart phones and tablet computers based on market changes caused by the rapidly increasing mobile computing devices (smart phone etc.)".

     With the television enterprise having a deficit for nine consecutive years, although the target was to cling to the goal of an operating profit at the term ending March 2014, it was now expected to record a loss of 25 billion yen. For this reason, it was the management’s decision to attain a rapid television enterprise splitting up, and to increase company efficiency. On the same day, President Hirai gave an interview in the Sony head office in Tokyo and said that "the current account deficit in television business is decreasing every year and the aim was to have a surplus at the term ending March 2015 because of the splitting up".

     Anticipated consolidated sales for the term ending March 2014 was kept unchanged at 7,700 billion yen, being an increase of 13.2% compared with the preceding period. However, because about a 50 billion yen loss in handling the production equipment etc. would come along with the withdrawal from the personal computer business, and also a 20 billion yen restructuring expense in the television enterprise etc. would be added, compared to the forecast, operating profits would go down by 52.9% to stand at 80 billion yen, and the final profit and loss also would be adjusted downwards into the red respectively.

     As the depression in television and the personal computer was expected to linger on, the electrical machinery division of Sony was expected to go into the red for three consecutive terms ending at March 2014. From now on Sony would concentrate on the smart phone and game machine etc., and would quicken the reorganization in its performance. About the responsibility for a downturn in performance President Hirai said "it is my mission to rebuild the electrical machinery division, and to contribute to the overall growth of the syndicate".

Sony is a very good brand name. I have confidence in the quality of its products in general and TV sets in particular. For survival, it is a must for companies to adjust their investment and production strategies in response to market changes.