The Osaka-based group will halt panel production at the plant -- which will continue to manufacture microwave ovens and printer toner cartridges -- at the end of March. Last month, it revealed plans to end PV module production and slash up to 250 jobs at its factory in North Wales, UK.

The company is still negotiating with the factory union in Tennessee about the precise number of job losses, spokesperson Miyuki Nakayama tells Recharge, denying a report in The Nikkei newspaper stating that up to 300 people could lose their jobs.