TOKYO, Nov 19 (Reuters) - The founding Ito family behind

Japanese retailer Seven & i ( SVNDF ) aims to raise more than 8

trillion yen ($52 billion) to take it private by the end of this

financial year, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported on

Tuesday.

The family has established a special purpose company that is

in talks with Japan's three largest lenders and major U.S.

financial institutions to raise funds to take the 7-Eleven owner

private.

A spokesperson for Seven & i ( SVNDF ) could not be reached for comment

outside normal business hours in Tokyo.

Seven & i ( SVNDF ) has been under pressure to convince investors it

can enhance value on its own and fend off a $47-billion takeover

bid from Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard ( ANCTF ).

It said last week it had received a buyout proposal from the

founding Ito family.

Going private would allow it to continue under current

management and remove pressure from shareholders to sell off

more of its assets - as well as eliminate the threat from a

bidder that it may see as hostile. A management buyout offer

could also be a tactic to force Couche-Tard to bid more.

The company's shares ended little changed on Tuesday, but

have climbed by more than 50% to record highs since August as

takeover speculation swirled.

($1 = 153.5100 yen)