TOKYO (AFX) - US investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc has approached potential partners to discuss jointly buying part of Takefuji Corp, should a block of the Japanese consumer-finance company be put up for sale, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Quoting sources close to the deal, the newspaper said potential partners, which could include Deutsche Bank AG and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc, would help Goldman offer more than 5 bln usd for a stake, if the investment bank can craft a deal to buy the nearly two-thirds of Takefuji thought to be owned by founder Yasuo Takei.

A number of investment firms have been jockeying to take a piece of Takefuji, Japan's third-largest consumer-finance company, since it became clear that Takei might be forced to sell the bulk of his holdings.

Takei is awaiting a Nov 17 Tokyo court decision on charges that he ordered the wiretapping of a journalist. If convicted, and sentenced to prison, he would be prohibited from owning more than 25 pct of a consumer-finance company.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Goldman is not preparing to approach Takefuji shareholders with an offer to purchase the entire company, meaning the purchase could happen only if the investment bank were able to strike a deal with Takei directly.

The report comes after the Financial Times said Takei may try to offload 33 pct of his shareholding in Takefuji in three separate billion-dollar blocks.

Citing sources close to the company, the FT said Takei held talks last weekend to discuss selling 100 bln yen worth of shares to institutional investors, having Takefuji buy back another 100 bln yen in shares from Takei, and transferring the third tranche to a blind trust.

Bankers said offloading 33 pct of Takefuji in three blocks would leave Takei with a holding over which he could continue to exercise economic and voting rights. The 10 pct to be transferred to a blind trust would also be owned by him, but with no voting rights.

Besides Goldman, the FT identified a group of 12 investors led by investment banker Koji Fusa, and the US private equity firm Newbridge Capital, as also preparing to bid for part of Takefuji.

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