Electronics giant Panasonic's intention to re-enter the global smartphone market will see it shift production of all non-domestic handsets outside of Japan as early as summer 2012.

That's according to a report by Nikkei, with Panasonic looking to build on the success its enjoyed in its home market by taking on its Japanese rivals abroad.

All aboard abroad

The company as a whole posted a $9.7 billion loss for the last full financial year, but its smartphone venture has seen Panasonic take up third spot in its home market behind Sharp and Fujitsu.

Nikkei claims its assault on outside markets, however, will result in production from its Shizuoka factory – which accounts for almost half of the company's output – being switched to sites in both Beijing in China and Malaysia.

Production of further handsets could also be outsourced to undefined overseas manufacturers, the paper states, with the first smartphones for the western market pencilled in for a launch later in April.

Panasonic sold 5 million handsets during its last fiscal term, though Nikkei claims the firm expects its operations in Europe to triple its sales to 15 million by fiscal year 2015/2016, with 9 million of those units sold abroad.

[source: Reuters]