NEC Plans to Cut 20,000 Jobs

NEC announced it plans to cut 20,000 positions worldwide starting in April.

Half the layoffs will be full-time positions.

The company, a Japan-based technology provider of network, IT and identity management systems, plans to exit the liquid-crystal display business.

NEC and its more than 300 subsidiaries employ approximately 150,000.

Several of NEC subsidiaries are in California’s Silicon Valley, including Santa Clara-based NEC Electronics America; San Jose-based NEC Tokin America; and Cupertino-based NEC FiberOpTech and NEC Laboratories America.