Chubu Electric joins all-Japan Toshiba buyout consortium

TOKYO (Reuters) -Chubu Electric Power Co said on Sunday it is joining private equity firm Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) in conducting due diligence for a potential buyout of Japanese conglomerate Toshiba Corp.

Toshiba, which is exploring going private and other options, has selected Bain Capital, CVC Capital Partners, Brookfield Asset Management and a consortium involving JIP and state-backed Japan Investment Corp to proceed to a second bidding round.

JIP has contacted more than 10 companies including Chubu Electric, Orix Corp and Central Japan Railway Co (JR Central) to participate in its consortium, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Sunday.

Orix said it was considering investing in Toshiba, without providing details. Toshiba said it does not comment on candidates for the potential buyout. JR Central did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Mariko Katsumura, Sam Nussey, Makiko Yamazaki, Ritsuko Shimizu and Junko Fujita; Editing by Alex Richardson, Christian Schmollinger and William Mallard)