Seven & i Holdings Co., the parent company of convenience store chain Seven-Eleven Japan, is considering selling a partial stake in its banking unit, Seven Bank, to trading company Itochu Corp. The move is part of a strategic effort to restructure its financial services and focus more on its core convenience store business. As of the end of March, Seven-Eleven Japan was the largest shareholder in Seven Bank, holding about 39% of the shares. Itochu has expressed interest in acquiring around a 20% stake and aims to strengthen its financial services, including plans to integrate FamilyMart's ATM network with Seven Bank's operations. Seven & i Holdings has not officially confirmed the sale, stating that no decision has been finalized yet. Industry sources indicate that the partial stake sale is intended to enhance corporate value by concentrating on the convenience store segment while reinforcing the ATM business through Itochu's involvement.