May 23/2005
Japan Fair Trade Commission
The Fair Trade Commission of Japan, having investigated into a bid rigging case concerning steel bridge construction projects ordered by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT), considers that a crime violating the Antimonopoly Act exists and today filed an accusation with the Public Prosecutor General against 8 companies in accordance with Section 73 (1) of the Antimonopoly Act.
1. Accused companies (8 companies)
Yokogawa Bridge Corp. (Tokyo)
Kawada Industries, Inc. (Toyama)
JFE Engineering Corporation (Tokyo)
Tokyo Tekkotsu Kyoryo Corporation (Tokyo)
Takada Kiko Co., Ltd. (Osaka)
Kurimoto, Ltd. (Osaka)
Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy industries Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)
Miyaji Iron Works Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)
2. Ground for the accusation
(1) Fact
The 8 companies mentioned in item 1, together with 41 companies of steel bridge construction in FY 2003 and with 39 companies in FY 2004,agreed that they would decide in advance the winner of a tender for steel bridge construction projects ordered for competitive bids by the Kanto Regional Development Bureau, Tohoku Regional Development Bureau and Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau of the MLIT and would bid at a price convenient for the winner to win. The 8 companies and the above 41 companies or 39 companies substantially restricted competition contrary to the public interest, in the field of bridge construction mentioned above, by mutually restricting and coordinating their business activities, deciding the winner according to the agreement.
(2) Relating laws
Section 89 (1) (i), Section 95 (1) (i), Section 3 of the Antimonopoly Act, and Section 60 of Criminal Code
*Every announcement is tentative translation. Please refer to the original text written in Japanese.
