Yamaha Corp., Japan’s top maker of musical...

Yamaha Corp., Japan’s top maker of musical instruments, plans to expand into the computer chip market in Japan in partnership with Quality Semiconductor Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.

Yamaha, based in Hamamatsu about 140 miles west of Tokyo, said the two partners will start sample shipments of five models of high-speed 64-kilobit static random access memories in the “YRS 830 Series” beginning Sept. 28.

The chips, based on the complementary metal oxide semiconductor structure, were developed jointly by the two companies, Yamaha said.

Quality Semiconductor was set up in 1988 with capital participation by Yamaha.

The two companies plan to jointly develop 256 kilobit and 1 megabit chips for sale in Japan in the future, the company said.

Demand for memory chips, microcomputers and other components in Japan in fiscal 1989 ended last March was estimated at 1.52 trillion yen ($10 billion).