HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (
JP:6752) , makers of the Panasonic brand, will invest 95 billion yen ($870.33 million) to build a new chip making facility in Toyama Prefecture, according to reports. Semiconductors manufactured at the plant, which is expected to come into production in 2009, will be used in the manufacture of Matsushita group products such as digital cameras, flat-panel televisions and digital video recorders, the Nikkei News reported without identify its source. Matsushita is also constructing a 280 billion yen plasma panel factory in Hyogo Prefecture and a 300 billion yen liquid crystal display plant in partnership with Hitachi Ltd and Canon Inc. Shares of Matsushita Electric fell 0.2% to 2,160 yen in late trading Wednesday