The NEC Electronics Corp. group will lay off 1,200 of its 1,400 temporary workers by the end of March, Kyodo News reported on Thursday, citing company officials.

The major Japanese semiconductor manufacturer is not to renew the employment contracts of the temporary workers at its eight production plants and subsidiaries in Yamagata, Shiga, Kumamoto and other prefectures.

The ongoing global recession, which has greatly dampened semiconductor demand, forced NEC to make the decision to substantially reduce production, and cut jobs in consequence, said the report.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2009)