Toshiba Corp. and electric parts company Rohm Co. said Friday they will collaborate in the power semiconductor business, planning to spend a combined 388.3 billion yen ($2.7 billion) to expand their production with one-third of the outlay covered by the industry ministry.

Under the project, Toshiba and Rohm will expand production at their chip factories in Ishikawa and Miyazaki prefectures, respectively, they said.

Of the total cost, up to 129.4 billion yen will be subsidized by the government, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said the same day.

"We are hoping this will be the first step toward creating a world-leading chipmaker," Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters.

The move comes as Toshiba is set to be delisted this month after a consortium led by Japan Industrial Partners Inc. acquired a majority stake in the conglomerate. Rohm is part of the consortium.

Power semiconductors are capable of handling high voltages and large electric currents and are commonly used in electric vehicles.

==Kyodo

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