Another Raid Conducted in Gas Oil Cartel Probe

Tokyo, March 5 (Jiji Press)–The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office and the Fair Trade Commission searched Eneos Wing Corp.’s Tokyo branch on Thursday, the second straight day of raids in a probe into an alleged cartel fixing prices of gas oil sold to businesses. The authorities raided the Eneos Wing office in the Japanese capital’s Minato Ward, after searching the offices of East Japan Usami Co. and other companies the day before. Eight oil distributors are suspected of forming a cartel to fix gas oil prices for corporate clients in Tokyo such as transportation companies. The FTC raided the eight firms over the allegation last September. The special investigation squad of the prosecutors’ office and the FTC plan to analyze seized materials in a joint effort to establish the facts. If the FTC files a criminal complaint, it will be its first since one was brought over bid-rigging connected to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics held in 2021. Officials from the special investigation squad entered the building housing the Eneos Wing office in small groups shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday. According to people familiar with the matter, the eight companies are suspected of deciding to maintain or raise prices of gas oil sold in Tokyo to transportation companies and other businesses, in meetings among their sales officials held about once a month. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]