Sharp has stopped talks with Samsung to jointly set up a copier sales company, the Kyodo said. Sharp's decision came after other Japanese firms opposed the proposal expressing concern that key technology would fall into the hands of the South Korean technology giant.

The global copier market is dominated by Japanese companies like Canon, Ricoh, Konica Minolta and Sharp.

The proposal to jointly set up a copier sales company was being discussed after Sharp turned down Samsung's acquisition offer for the copier business, Kyodo said.