Sony Optiarc America received the request from the DOJ, Sony said in a filing to the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Monday morning.
Sony said it understands the request is part of a wider review of competition in the disc drive market by the DOJ and competition authorities in other countries.
Sony Optiarc is a major manufacturer of optical disc drives for Blu-ray Disc and DVD. Its drives are used in products made by Sony and other electronics and PC makers. It has two subsidiaries: a U.S. unit in San Jose and a European unit in Ismaning, Germany. The company was previously a venture between Sony and NEC although NEC sold its 45 percent stake in the company to Sony last year.