Sony, which made its name as the electronics company that produced the Walkman portable music player and Trinitron television, is straying further from its roots into real estate. On Thursday, the firm said it’s venturing into the real estate brokerage business in Japan, hoping to create new revenue as it continues to struggle with losses from its flagging consumer electronics businesses.

Japanese bathroom giant Lixil Group has agreed to buy Germany's Grohe in a $4.1 billion deal, its second purchase in recent months and one that would turn it into the sector's biggest global player. The Dusseldorf-based maker of bathroom appliances confirmed Thursday that it was being taken over by Lixil in a buyout which also marks Japan Inc's biggest-ever investment in Germany.