TOKYO, June 18 (Reuters) - Japanese digital comic

distributor Infocom ( IFFOF ) will announce its board's decision

on a takeover bid from Blackstone once all its disclosure

documents are ready, the company said on Tuesday.

Infocom ( IFFOF ) was responding to a report in the Nikkei newspaper

that Blackstone had reached a final agreement to acquire

Infocom ( IFFOF ), priced at around 6,000 yen per share for a total

purchase price of around 280 billion yen ($1.78 billion). The

deal would take effect on Wednesday, it added.

Blackstone declined to comment on the deal.

Infocom ( IFFOF ) operates digital comic site MechaComic, which is

Japan's largest, according to its Twitter page.

Global investor interest in Japanese companies has surged in

recent years as the weak yen, strong public markets and

corporate governance changes make mergers and acquisitions (M&A)

attractive.

M&A in Japan reached a record $35.5 billion in 2023, LSEG

data shows, and this deal would be Blackstone's largest

acquisition in Japan, the Nikkei said.

Infocom's ( IFFOF ) share price has more than doubled since news of

the potential buyout was first reported last month, rising to

above 6,000 yen on Tuesday from below 3,000 yen in early May.

Infocom's ( IFFOF ) current parent company, Teijin ( TINLF ), will not

take part in the takeover bid but will sell all the 55% of

Infocom's ( IFFOF ) shares that it owns in a share buyback after the

buyout is completed, the Nikkei reported.

Infocom ( IFFOF ), which is currently listed on the Tokyo Stock

Exchange Prime market, will go private if the deal goes ahead,

the Nikkei added.

($1 = 157.5300 yen)