January 28/2004
Japan Fair Trade Commission
Following an investigation into Japan Correspondence Course Association Co. Ltd., the JFTC issued a cease and desist order to the company finding infringement of Section 4 (Misleading representation on quality) of the Premium and Representations Act.
1 The Company
Japan Correspondence Course Association Co. Ltd., (K.K. Nihon Tsushin Kyouiku Rengoukai) :suginami-ku, Tokyo.
2 Outline
(1) Outline of violation
The company, from April 2002 to May 2003, made the following misleading representations in advertisements in monthly magazines and insertions in newspapers in selling their videotapes of the correspondence course “The Method of Growing in Stature” under the name of “JapanHealthAcademy.”
i) The company pretended as if almost all the users who took the course actually grew in stature remarkably.
Fact: It is not a fact that approximately 80% of the members in the course succeed in growing more than 5 centimeter.
ii) The company pretended as if the narrative of recommenders (an actress and a singer) of this advertisement were based on actual experiences in the correspondence course.
Fact: The narratives were not real ones.
iii) The company pretended as if the course was adopted by many professional sports teams.
Fact: No professional sports team adopted the course.
(2) Outline of elimination measures
i) The company shall announce that it has made representations which mislead consumers.
ii) The company shall not make misleading representations in the future.
*Every announcement is tentative translation. Please refer to the original text written in Japanese.
