SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D. C. 20549
FORM
6-K
REPORT OF
FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
Pursuant
to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the
month of June 2009
Commission
File Number: 001-06439
SONY
CORPORATION
(Translation
of registrant's name into English)
1-7-1
KONAN, MINATO-KU, TOKYO, 108-0075, JAPAN
(Address
of principal executive offices)
The
registrant files annual reports under cover of Form 20-F.
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under
cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F,
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Form
20-F X
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Form
40-F __
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Indicate
by check mark whether
the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in
this Form
is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission
pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
Yes No
X
If "Yes"
is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection
with Rule 12g3-2(b):82-______
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to
the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized.
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SONY
CORPORATION
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(Registrant)
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By: /s/ Nobuyuki
Oneda
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(Signature)
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Nobuyuki
Oneda
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Executive
Deputy President and
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Chief
Financial Officer
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Date: June
30, 2009
List of
materials
Documents
attached hereto:
i) Press
release entitled "Agreement to
Transfer to Sony Certain Epson Business Assets Relating to Small- and
Medium-Sized TFT Liquid Crystal Display
Operations"
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June
30th, 2009
Seiko
Epson Corporation
Sony
Corporation
Agreement
to Transfer to Sony Certain Epson Business Assets Relating to Small-
and Medium-Sized TFT Liquid Crystal Display Operations
TOKYO,
Japan, June 30, 2009 – Seiko Epson
Corporation (“Epson”) and Sony Corporation (“Sony”) today announced the
execution of an agreement to transfer to the Sony group certain assets of the
small- and
medium-sized TFT liquid crystal display (LCD) business operated by Epson Imaging
Devices Corporation (“Epson Imaging”) in the Epson group.
Epson and
Sony have discussed a possible agreement in the field of small- and medium-sized
TFT LCDs since their March 2009 announcement. As further detailed below, the
agreement announced today calls for certain assets of the Epson group to be
transferred to the Sony group, subject to
receipt of necessary government approvals. Placing top priority on continuing to
meet customer requirements, the sales function for small- and medium-sized TFT
LCD business
operated by Epson Imaging will first be transferred to the Sony group within
2009. Thereafter, it is planned that certain manufacturing-related assets for
such business owned by Epson Imaging will be transferred to Sony Mobile Display
Corporation (“SMD”) on April 1, 2010, from which time they will be operated by
the Sony group.
The
outline of the agreement is as follows:
To
be completed within 2009 (planned)
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1) Transfer
of the sales function for small- and medium-sized TFT LCD business
(excluding high-temperature
polysilicon TFT LCDs, etc.) operated by Epson Imaging to the Sony group
and secondment of sales personnel.
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To
commence on April 1, 2010 (planned)
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2)
Transfer of certain buildings and equipment and lease of certain land
relating to amorphous silicon TFT LCD manufacturing from Epson Imaging
(Tottori city, Tottori, Japan) to SMD.
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3)
Transfer of certain intellectual property, including
patents, software and technical information, relating to small- and
medium-sized TFT LCDs (excluding high-temperature
polysilicon TFT LCDs, etc.) from Epson to the Sony
group.
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4)
Secondment of certain Epson Imaging and other Epson group employees
involved in the development, design and manufacture of small- and
medium-sized TFT LCDs (excluding high-temperature
polysilicon TFT LCDs, etc.) from the Epson group to the Sony
group.
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In
addition to the Sony group’s existing expertise in sales, development, design
and production of high-resolution
low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCDs, the transfer of these business assets will
enable Sony to fully utilize Epson Imaging and other Epson group capabilities in
the field of small- and medium-sized TFT LCD sales, technology and product
design and amorphous silicon TFT LCD production. By producing a wider
range of technically advanced and cost effective products, and offering
comprehensive small- and medium-sized TFT LCD product lineups, the Sony group
expects to enhance its customer relationships and strengthen the competitiveness
of its small- and medium-sized TFT LCD business.
The Epson
group will work to assure a smooth and expeditious transfer of the business
assets, and will continue to work closely with the Sony group to facilitate the
further growth and success of the small- and medium-sized TFT LCD business.
There
will be no payment for the transfer of such business assets. No material impact
on either Epson’s or Sony’s financial results for the current fiscal year for
the transactions is anticipated. Any future impact
on financial result for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011 and beyond is
being assessed.
About
Epson and Epson Imaging
Epson is
a global imaging and innovation leader that is dedicated to exceeding the vision
of customers worldwide through its compact, energy-saving, high-precision
technologies, with a product lineup ranging from printers and 3LCD projectors
for business and the home, to electronic and crystal devices.
Led by
the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises over 70,000
employees in 108 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing
contributions to the global environment and the communities in which it
operates.
Epson
Imaging Devices Corporation is a leader of small- and medium-sized LCD
products.
About
Sony Corporation
Sony
Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications, key
device and information technology products for the consumer and professional
markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and on-line
businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and
entertainment company in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual
sales of approximately $79 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31,
2009. Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/