[interested_observer]

NOTE: This is not a FujiRumors rumor, nor have I any information about it. I just report what a huge Japanese blog shared that reports a serious Japanese Magazine.

The report also says that the Japanese government is directly involved in finding a company that can help Nikon. But why should they? We can only speculate, but the Japanese government might be worried that Chinese, Korean, or Taiwanese companies will start investing into Nikon, but they much prefer a domestic company (possibly Fujifilm) to do that.

• Japanese Government Wants FUJIFILM to "Help" the Suffering NIKON Company - says Japanese Report - Fuji Rumors

I guess that Nikon is too big to fail, and Pentax was too small to be noticed.

[boriscleto]

I think a big part of it is that the Bank of Japan is now the country's #1 stock holder...

Exclusive: BOJ's balance sheet almost as big as Japanese economy- Nikkei Asian Review

[edmundrt]

Japan feels that it can't have another big corporation go bad, like Toshiba has recently. It shouldn't be underestimated how much disbelief there was here at the Toshiba news - Japanese people believe in their big corporations, and are proud of them, since they were the base of Japan's incredible economic growth in the 20th century. Many are not just a single company either: they build structures known as 'keiretsu', which involve a great deal of cross-shareholding and partnerships both vertically (e.g. Nikon and a circuit board supplier) and horizontally (e.g. Nikon and a large camera parts manufacturer, like Cosina or Kenko Tokina). Ricoh, of course, is another classic example.
In the 21st century, it's becoming obvious that these big, unwieldy business structures are not the thing anymore and Japan's corporations are struggling. The Japanese govt and BOJ will be desperate not to have Nikon fail, and the likelihood is that it will be saved - if another big business goes south, it makes Japan Inc. look bad.

It's sad that Pentax wasn't considered necessary to be 'saved' at previous points in its life, because at one time it would have been. I'm still interested to see where Ricoh are going with it, to be honest (n.b. I am not a doomer).

[Winder]

Japan feels that it can't have another big corporation go bad, like Toshiba has recently. It shouldn't be underestimated how much disbelief there was here at the Toshiba news - Japanese people believe in their big corporations, and are proud of them, since they were the base of Japan's incredible economic growth in the 20th century. Many are not just a single company either: they build structures known as 'keiretsu', which involve a great deal of cross-shareholding and partnerships both vertically (e.g. Nikon and a circuit board supplier) and horizontally (e.g. Nikon and a large camera parts manufacturer, like Cosina or Kenko Tokina). Ricoh, of course, is another classic example.
In the 21st century, it's becoming obvious that these big, unwieldy business structures are not the thing anymore and Japan's corporations are struggling. The Japanese govt and BOJ will be desperate not to have Nikon fail, and the likelihood is that it will be saved - if another big business goes south, it makes Japan Inc. look bad.

It's sad that Pentax wasn't considered necessary to be 'saved' at previous points in its life, because at one time it would have been. I'm still interested to see where Ricoh are going with it, to be honest (n.b. I am not a doomer).

Japan's entire economic structure is a giant house of cards and Olympus style corruption is probably more common than they want anyone to know. The web the have created of co-ownership and cross-shareholding has to make it awful easy to more money around quietly. A friend of mine spent over 10 years working for a company that did independent audits and made several trips to Japan. She said they don't like outside audits and they really don't like female auditors.

Nikon is tanking faster than its leadership can adjust. I'm not sure they are worth saving in the big scheme of things. Why would Fuji want to own any part of a failing company? Fuji has good leadership and direction. Fuji has the technology and the lens design and manufacturing capabilities. What does Nikon have that fits where Fuji is going? It would be charity for Fuji to prop-up Nikon.

[monochrome]

^^^ TBH it was charity for Ricoh to buy Pentax.

Nikon as a camera company alone can turn things around. What they can't do is simultaneously support the disastrous decline of Nikon Precision.

[clackers]

They need to find a sympathetic buyer. Canon and Pentax both get away with being under the financial umbrella of large photocopy firms.

In theory, Nikon is associated with Mitsubishi, but they obviously don't feel like investing in that combination: a troubled company in a troubled market.

[Winder]

^^^ TBH it was charity for Ricoh to buy Pentax.

I'm not so sure. Ricoh bought the Pentax business for a lot less than this house Yours for $250m: the most expensive house in America | US news | The Guardian

I think Ricoh really does want to be in the camera business, I'm just not sure if the have figured out how to be in the camera business. It would seem natural for them to get in to professional photo printers and develop an integrated system like Canon, but 5 years in and they have done very little. The 645z and the K-1 are really strong products at their price point, and a great foundation to build upon. BUT they better build with a little more urgency. They need to look like they have the direction that I hope they have. Canon, Sony, & Fuji have very clear direction and appear to have good leadership. Nikon, Ricoh, Olympus, & Panasonic appear to be a little lost in the woods. Olympus desperately needs to move to a larger mirrorless format. They have the mirrorless technology to make a run at the market. Panasonic is going always be in the business because creating (4K/8K) content is important to driving sales of its display technology.

I don't think it was charity. I think Ricoh saw value in the Pentax buy and so far it has paid off.

[RGlasel]

What they can't do is simultaneously support the disastrous decline of Nikon Precision.

Isn't that the semiconductor lithography division, the one with "surging sales?" Nikon's third quarter report that came out in February laid the blame for net losses on declining digital camera sales and claimed that the business of burning circuits on semiconductor wafers was doing fine.

Ironically, the photocopier business seems to be approaching the buggy whip phase of its business cycle, but the current market for photographic equipment isn't big enough, too fragmented and too short on potential for growth to make a positive difference for Canon or Ricoh. Globalized conglomerates all over the world are having problems adapting to change, the macro effects of systemic negative growth in the Japanese economy seems to be making it even more difficult for Japanese ones.

[pakinjapan]

Large companies (including ultra rich individual) around the world has been buying share / stock of rival business all the time. Toyota brought Tesla's stock and recently sold it. Bil Gates used to have large amount of Apple stock too. If this news is truth, Japanese goverment may act as a salesman in attempt to help find Japanese investors for old Japanese brand like Nikon.
Toshiba should had invested in Nikon because it looks like a better investment than Westinghouse Electric,

[mee]

Large companies (including ultra rich individual) around the world has been buying share / stock of rival business all the time. Toyota brought Tesla's stock and recently sold it. Bil Gates used to have large amount of Apple stock too. If this news is truth, Japanese goverment may act as a salesman in attempt to help find Japanese investors for old Japanese brand like Nikon.
Toshiba should had invested in Nikon because it looks like a better investment than Westinghouse Electric,

Toshiba themselves came about originally through a merger.

Is it legal for one company to buy another simply to remove the other company as a competitor? Dirty blow, but I could see some of these big corporations considering that. Perhaps not entirely a Far East way of business though.

It seems the Googles, and Microsofts, and Apples of the world do this to some degree -- They buy smaller companies, extract the part they want, then kill off the rest. Poaching for tusks almost... in a manner of speaking. Actually, isn't that almost what Hoya did with Pentax?

[clackers]

Japanese goverment may act as a salesman in attempt to help find Japanese investors for old Japanese brand like Nikon.

As you know, this has been a tradition for decades - Japan wasn't a command economy, but it was highly directed.

The old Ministry of International Trade and Industry for example basically issued orders to the various corporations.

[pakinjapan]

Actually, isn't that almost what Hoya did with Pentax?

Yeah, If i remember it correctly, Hoya took Pentax Medical unit out and let go the Pentax camera.
Adobe buy MacroMedia. Facebook buy Instagram, Foxconn buy Sharp, Geely Automobile buy Volvo, etc.
Cannibalism is a common practice here.

[pinholecam]

Sounds more like the Japanese want to protect the camera patents and know-how from the Chinese.
Once the Chinese (ie. China) gets hold of Nikon, I think it will be the end of Japanese camera makers.
Low cost cameras, patent issues that Japanese makers will face.

They did that to the Germans and probably don't want it to be repeated on them.

[beholder3]

More coverage here:

SENTAKU CONFIRMS: Japanese Government Trying to Partner Nikon with Fujifilm ... Says TOP Japanese Magazine "Sentaku" :) - Fuji Rumors

I believe it's still more likely that a Chinese phone maker or a drone maker picks up Nikon as a toy store for the wealthy than Fuji.

Nikon has nothing which Fuji doesnt already have (better) or wanted. Fuji is already in this game.
Would be more attractive for someone who is not a player yet.

Fun thought would be Samsung coming back. They even have sensors.

[surfar]

Fun thought would be Samsung coming back

Nikon nx1....that was talked about at the end of 2015 when the FAKE NEWS about Nikon buying the SAMMY optical was bandied about....has the worm turned?....NO!