Beer maker leaders may have been aware of price cartel
Some of the officials with Asahi Breweries, Kirin Brewery, Sapporo Breweries and Suntory Holdings admitted to the cartel during an investigation.
Top executives of Japan's four largest beer producers may have been privy to details of price hikes orchestrated among the companies, according to informed sources. The Japan Fair Trade Commission is scrutinizing whether these senior officials recognized the information as a result of coordinated negotiations. Some company officials have reportedly confessed to engaging in the cartel during the commission's investigation.
The beer giants - Asahi Breweries, Kirin Brewery, Sapporo Breweries and Suntory Holdings - allegedly held secret discussions after industry gatherings to share insights on the timing and extent of shipping price increases and create price tables. The Fair Trade Commission conducted mandatory inspections of the companies' headquarters on Wednesday, probing suspicions of antitrust law violations.
Under the Antimonopoly Act, companies found guilty of illegal price fixing may face penalties such as financial surcharges and orders to refrain from further infractions. The four companies, which hold a combined market share exceeding 90% in Japan's beer sector, are accused of synchronizing the timing and scale of beer, low-malt beer and similar beverages price hikes over a period of years.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
