Computer giant to axe 16,400 jobs

Japanese computer giant Fujitsu is to slash 16,400 jobs worldwide.

About 11,400 of the job cuts will be at its overseas operations.

Fujitsu did not give a breakdown by country but said that more 5,000 jobs will be cut in Asia and nearly 3,000 jobs will be reduced in North America.

Fujitsu, which owns British computer company ICL, lost £328m in the first quarter of the financial year.

Like its Japanese rivals, Fujitsu has been hit by the global downturn in the demand for chips and other electronics products.

Company president Naoyuki Akikusa said: ‘‘The needs of the market are changing very rapidly.’’

Fujitsu has a global work force of 180,000.