Japan Display in talks for $1.8 billion-plus investment from China firms - Kyodo

TOKYO (Reuters) - Cash-strapped Japan Display Inc is discussing an investment of more than 200 billion yen ($1.8 billion) from three Chinese panel makers including BOE Technology Group Co , Kyodo News reported.

Japan Display is aiming to agree a deal by the end of March, Kyodo said, without citing its source. The other two firms are Tianma Microelectronics Co and Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co (CSOT), Kyodo said.

Japan Display, which has been losing money for the past three years, is seeking capital from new investors to catch up in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology, recently adopted by Apple Inc for the iPhone X. OLED panels are only mass-produced for smartphones by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd .

The company said it was not the source of the report and declined to disclose details of its ongoing negotiations with potential investors. It has previously said it was open to partnerships with rivals, including panel makers from China.

Japan Display has been earning half its revenue selling liquid crystal displays (LCDs) to Apple, and said last month its revenue for the business year to March would likely fall 15 to 25 percent due to a shift to OLED displays by "major customers".

Shares of Japan Display jumped as much as 10.1 percent and were up 7 percent at 0119 GMT, while the Tokyo market was roughly flat.

($1 = 112.9800 yen)

(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim and Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Stephen Coates)