Japan's Fujifilm aims to become the world's fourth largest camera maker by next March and the No. 3 manufacturer two years later, overtaking first rival Samsung and then Nikon, a senior company executive said.

Until recently best known for inexpensive models, Fujifilm may also re-enter the more lucrative interchangeable lens camera market, Takeshi Higuchi, head of the company's camera division said in an interview with Reuters.

In digital still cameras unit sales, Fujifilm says it is currently in fifth position behind Canon, Sony, Nikon and Samsung, but adds it is confident that its plan to boost sales 25 percent to 14 million units this financial year will gain it the No. 4 spot.

Almost all the company's camera production is concentrated in China, but Fujifilm is planning to spread risk by starting some production in southeast Asia, with a decision to be made on the location by the end of the financial year, Higuchi added.

(Reporting by Isabel Reynolds and Reiji Murai; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

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