Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp (SMBC) will buy Citigroup Inc’s (>> Citigroup Inc) Japanese retail banking operations in October for about 40 billion yen ($330 million), people with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

The Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc (>> Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.) unit will announce the long-awaited purchase on Thursday, the sources said.

Citi’s Japan consumer banking business has been hurt by weak loan demand and falling interest margins in a market where the U.S.-based lender has operated for over 100 years.

Spokesmen for the two banks declined to comment on the deal.

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