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The JFTC Issued Warnings to Nine Textbook Publishers

The JFTC Issued Warnings to Nine Textbook Publishers

July 6,2016
Japan Fair Trade Commission

The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) today issued the warnings to nine textbook publishers* (nine companies) as described in 1. In this case, the nine companies conducted the practices that could be a violation of the section 19 of the Antimonopoly Act. Also, the JFTC issued requests to the Textbook Publishers Association.

* TOKYO SHOSEKI CO.,LTD., KYOIKU-SHUPPAN, Dainippon tosho Co.,Ltd., Gakko Tosho Co.,Ltd., KYOIKU-GEIJUTSU SHA Co.,Ltd., Mitsumura Tosho Publishing Co.,Ltd., SANSEIDO Co.,Ltd., Suken Shuppan and SHINKOSHUPPANSHA KEIRINKAN Co,ltd.

1 Outlines of the warnings
The nine companies are suspected of violations of Customer Inducement by Unjust Benefits (Item 9, Designation of Unfair Trade Practices) by conducting;
(1) providing money etc. for school officials as a reward, even after the nine companies finish applications to approve the textbooks to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
(2) providing alcoholic drinks or foods etc. by holding convivial parties.
(3) providing midyear gifts or year-end gifts.
Therefore, the JFTC warned the nine companies not to do these things.

2 Outlines of the requests to the Textbook Publishers Association
The JFTC requested of the Textbook Publishers Association the following items so that its members will not conduct the similar practices as mentioned in 1(1) –(3).
(1) The Textbook Publishers Association shall consult sufficiently with the JFTC about the content of “Guidelines concerning the conducts of textbook publishers”, which the Textbook Publishers Association is making.
(2) The Textbook Publishers Association shall consult sufficiently with the JFTC about the methods for dissemination and audit methods concerning compliance after its making “Guidelines concerning the conducts of textbook publishers”.

*Every announcement is tentative translation. Please refer to the original text written in Japanese.

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