March 28 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers,

acquisitions and disposals were reported by 0930 GMT on Friday:

** U.S.-based private equity firm KKR and Japanese

state-backed fund Japan Investment Corp (JIC) will acquire

medical gear maker Topcon ( TOPCF ) in a tender offer buyout

worth 348 billion yen ($2.31 billion), KKR said.

** British retailer WH Smith ( WHTPF ) agreed to sell its UK high

street business to Modella Capital for 76 million pounds ($98

million) to streamline its operations and create a pure-play

global travel retailer.

** Nippon Steel ( NISTF ) and U.S. Steel are in active

talks about a deal that would preserve their $14 billion merger

and secure billions more in investments from the Japanese

steelmaker into Rust Belt facilities, Semafor reported on

Thursday.

** China-based Ninestar Corp plans to sell printer

and printing software maker Lexmark International II to Xerox

in a deal with an equity value of up to $150 million.

(Compiled by Rajarshi Roy and Padmanabhan Ananthan in

Bengaluru)