Sony looks to expand Japanese PS2 Internet infrastructure

Sony recently announced that it is in negotiations with Fujitsu regarding possible tie-ups in the Internet business. Although neither company discussed specifics, a report in the Japanese publication Nihon Keizai Shimbun states that Sony is in talks to acquire Fujitsu subsidiary Nifty Corp. The possible acquisition of Japan's largest ISP by Sony is said to be valued at more than $760 million. To provide high-speed broadband services for PlayStation 2 owners, Sony has also announced partnerships with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, Yahoo Japan, and Softbank Corp. for the Japanese market. The company has similar partnerships with North American companies, including one with AOL, which was announced at last year's E3 in Los Angeles.