Toshiba will eventually enter the Blu-ray DVD market, more than a year after it gave up on its own next-generation format (HD DVD) that failed to gain industry support, a report said. The Japanese company launch Blu-ray products later this year the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said.

This is the second report published online hinting at a Toshiba's complete reversal of its position over the high-density DVD standard. Toshiba's president Atsutoshi Nishida who stepped down in June 24th, had hinted that the company could start selling Blu-ray disc recorders in the Japanese market.

"It makes no sense to decide not to enter the Blu-Ray market simply because we lost the DVD-format war. We cannot change the fact that we lost, but we would like to keep our options open," he was quoted to say at a Toshiba's general meeting.

Toshiba spokeswoman Yuko Sugahara would not confirm the report.

"It is true that we are being flexible in looking into such possibilities. But at this point no decision has been made," she said Tuesday.

Toshiba lost the so-called high definition "format war" last year after failling to gain support from major U.S. movie studios.

Toshiba has focused on the development and marketing of DVD players with advanced resolution upscaling capabilities after the company quit the development of the HD DVD products.

Howeverm, the rapid growth of demand for Blu-ray products in Japan - especially Blu-ray recorders - encouraged Toshiba to enter the Blu-ray market, the Yomiuri said.

The company lost a record $3.6 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31.