Toshiba says it's suing Western Digital for $1 billion

A shareholder of Toshiba arrives at a shareholders' meeting in Chiba, Chiba prefecture in Japan on June 28, 2017.

Kazuhiro Nogi | AFP | Getty Images

Japan's Toshiba said on Wednesday it is filing a lawsuit against joint venture partner Western Digital.

Toshiba is claiming 120 billion ($1.07 billion) in damages, saying in a statement that Western Digital is interfering with the sale of its memory chip division.

Toshiba also said it has decided to shut out Western Digital employees based outside the Yokkaichi chip plant from accessing information relating to the two companies' joint venture.