Sanyo Electric Co. has decided to withdraw from the cellphone handset sales business by putting up for sale its handset marketing arm to focus on core businesses such as rechargeable batteries and commercial-use equipment.

Several companies including a Mitsui & Co. subsidiary are expected to tender bids for Osaka-based Telecom Sanyo Co. in an auction which Sanyo will hold soon with the successful bidder estimated to shell out several billion yen, according to industry sources in Japan.