October 15, 2025
Japan Fair Trade Commission
Establishment of an Information Submission Form on Business Combinations
Today, I would like to explain that the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) has established an Information Submission Form on Business Combinations on its website.
The JFTC conducts reviews of business combinations, such as the acquisition of shares, in accordance with the procedures prescribed under the Antimonopoly Act, to determine whether the transaction may substantially restrain competition in any particular field of trade. To facilitate prompt and accurate reviews of business combinations, the JFTC has launched an information submission form on business combinations to widely receive information relevant to such transactions. In relation to requests for such information, the JFTC has traditionally solicited information and opinions from third parties, when necessary, by publicly announcing its intention to hear their views regarding individual cases under review. However, the newly launched initiative differs from those case-specific invitations, as it is designed to widely solicit information on a broader basis.
While business combinations exceeding certain sizes are subject to notification to the JFTC, the JFTC also welcomes information on business combinations—such as mergers, the acquisition of shares, and business transfers—that may affect competition in Japan even if the parties’ domestic sales, etc., do not meet the notification thresholds. In particular, the JFTC has in mind cases where the acquisition of a startup or other company possessing significant technologies could potentially have an impact on competition in domestic markets.
The information submission form is available on the JFTC’s Japanese website. From the top page, please click the link titled “Consultation, Reporting, Information Submission, and Procedures, etc.” On the following page, under the section labeled “Information Submission,” you will find the “Information Submission Form on Business Combinations.”
The information submission form allows anyone—whether a corporation or an individual—to provide information anonymously. If you provide your contact details, the JFTC may reach out to you for clarification, if necessary. Any information received will be used solely for the JFTC’s administrative purposes and will not be used for any other purpose. The JFTC hopes to receive a wide range of information concerning business combinations from the public and to utilize such information to conduct prompt and accurate reviews.
For further details about the information submission form, please contact the Mergers and Acquisitions Division of the JFTC.
（Tentative translation）
