Japanese Toshiba will resume its plan to establish a new NAND flash memory plant for 800 billion Yen (US$ 8.90 billion; US$1 = 89.9 Yen) in Mie prefecture, western Japan, with an aim to tap increasing demand as the economy seems to be recovering, the Nikkei reported on February 10. The plant, to manufacture chips for use in mobile phones, cameras and other electronics devices, is projected to begin construction in mid-2010 at the earliest and start operations in the first half of 2011, according to the same source. Should the plant set up as planned, the new plant is anticipated to double Toshiba's monthly NAND production capacity to 500,000 units, up from the current 260,000 units, AFP News reported on February 10. Toshiba, however, declined to reveal any details regarding the new plant. In January 2009, Toshiba announced that the company would delay the construction of two NAND flash memory plants, including one in Yokkaichi, Mie prefecture, from spring 2009 until 2010 and one in Kitakami, northern Japan.