Tough times

Sony has announced that it will cut 2,000 jobs in Japan via an “early retirement” scheme. The Next Web notes that the cuts are set to affect the company’s head office the hardest, with 20 per cent of employees set to depart by the end of the year. The move will apparently save the manufacturer a whopping ¥30 billion (roughly $378 million) annually from next year onwards.

The initiative is in line with the organisation’s decision to cut 10,000 jobs in total. Earlier this year, the company announced a $312 million loss for Q1 2012. As a response, subsidiary Sony Computer Entertainment closed down Studio Liverpool, in addition to Zipper Interactive and BigBig Studios.

The manufacturer also pulled the plug on its lens factory in Minokamo, where 840 employees were based. Our thoughts go out to all those affected.

[source thenextweb.com, via joystiq.com]