Goldman Sachs is reportedly bidding Y140bn (US$1.5bn, £1.04bn, AUD$2.15bn) to buy out USJ — the operator of the Universal Studios theme park in Japan.

The US bank aims to increase its current 41 per cent share of the Osaka-based company to 60 per cent, while MBK Partners will buy 25 per cent and independent US fund manager Owl Creek Asset Management, 15 per cent.

The economic downturn and high yen has deterred both domestic and overseas visitors to the film-based attraction.

A five per cent fall in attendance levels during the nine months to the end of December 2008 compared with a year earlier has caused a net income fall of almost eight per cent and a seven per cent decline in sales.