TOKYO (Reuters) - Demand for flat panel televisions is expected to more than double to 180 million units by 2012, driven by strong sales in China and the United States, a Japanese industry group said.

Demand for liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs is likely to reach 155 million units in five years, up from 74.8 million sold in 2007, the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Association (JEITA) said on Thursday.

Demand for plasma TVs will likely total 25 million units in 2012, compared with 11.4 million sold last year, it said.

The forecasts are based on expected demand from 51 nations, but they should represent the majority of global demand since all major countries are included in the study, a JEITA spokesman said.

South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Sony Corp lead the LCD TV market, while Panasonic maker Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd controls one-third of the plasma TV market.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka)
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