In an interview with Famitsu, Kawagoe Takayuki, Executive Officer of SEGA Japan, explained how difficult a year 2008 was for SEGA, and that the global recession definitely had an effect on the company as a whole.
However, he continued in a more optimistic mannery, citing that his company was encouraged by sales of PS3 exclusive, Yakuza 3, and PSP exclusive, Phantasy Star Portable. Both titles have sold approximately half a million units in Japan alone.
Takayuki went on to state that, “due to the success of these [games], Sega wishes to bring excitement to gamers with more quality titles.”
[Source]