A spokesman said the component maker, which produces DVDs, audio tapes and other recording media, will close four factories outside of Japan, but did not comment on which factories it would close.

He said the cuts will come mainly from TDK's regular employees, although contract workers and others at the firm's group companies will also be affected.

The company, which employs 65,500 workers worldwide, also said it now forecasts a net loss for the current fiscal year that runs through March, its first net loss in seven years.

Meanwhile, Beijing-based company Lenovo said it plans to cut 2,500 jobs, or about 11% of its workforce, as part of a plan aimed at helping the computer maker remain competitive amid the global economic downturn.

The world's fourth-largest PC maker also warned that it expects to report a loss for its fiscal third quarter ended December 31.

Lenovo says the job cuts will come from across the company's global operations.