Struggling Japanese electronics manufacturer Sharp says it plans to raise about 1.6 billion dollars in an effort to improve its capital base.

The firm says it will raise most of the capital by offering new shares to the public next month.

It also plans to receive a capital injection worth about 177 million dollars from 3 Japanese companies -- power tool manufacturer Makita, housing equipment maker Lixil, and auto parts firm Denso.

Sharp expects its capital ratio to recover to more than 10 percent of total assets.

The ratio stood at 6 percent as of June 30. That's far lower than other major Japanese electronics firms, which logged double-digits ratios.

Sharp has also doubled its earnings forecast for the April-to-September period, to about 300 million dollars. That's thanks to strong sales of liquid crystal panels to Apple and Samsung.

Company officials say they want to use the new funding to develop improvements to their mainstay LCD panels.

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