Five Petroleum Sales Companies Indicted in Diesel Price Cartel Case
In a cartel case involving the illicit fixing of diesel fuel prices for transport companies and others in Tokyo, prosecutors have indicted five petroleum sales companies for violations of the Antimonopoly Act. This case is attracting significant attention as an act that hinders fair competition between businesses.
Those indicted include five petroleum sales companies, among them Higashi Nihon Usami (Tokyo). These companies are suspected of holding prior discussions regarding diesel prices for corporate clients and reaching an agreement to sell at unfairly high prices. The Japan Fair Trade Commission determined that such actions restricted market competition and caused disadvantage to customers.
the Antimonopoly Act strictly prohibits "cartels," in which companies consult with one another to set prices. In this case, the fact that multiple companies cooperated to control prices is being viewed as a serious issue, and the laxity of the companies' corporate compliance systems has been pointed out.
Following these indictments, the companies involved are considering their future responses. Diesel is an indispensable fuel for the logistics industry, and the fact that its price was unfairly manipulated could potentially affect our daily lives through increased transportation costs.
The full scope of the case is expected to be revealed through the upcoming trial. Companies are once again being strongly urged to manage their operations appropriately to protect free and fair competition.