Overview
- The Fair Trade Commission issued an exclusion order to the Nagano Prefecture Petroleum Trade Association’s North Shin branch and fined 17 gas-station companies a total of ¥116,658,000, including a maximum ¥37.31 million penalty to Takamizawa.
- The regulator also warned three non-member stations, including JA group outlets, for repeatedly obtaining price revision information and participating in the scheme.
- Officials identified three coordinated adjustments between December 16, 2024 and February 4, 2025: a ¥5 hike on December 19, a ¥3 increase on January 17, and a ¥3 cut on February 3, noting earlier activity could not be proven.
- The branch chief set revision amounts after checking subsidy reductions and wholesale price moves, relaying them by phone and fax, and the headquarters was found to have effectively tolerated the practice.
- The association apologized, said it is rebuilding compliance and plans a briefing, while Nagano Governor Shuichi Abe condemned the conduct as damaging to fair competition and public trust.