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Japan’s Kansai Electric Raided In Antitrust Probe

By  |  April 13, 2021

Japan’s Kansai Electric Power and Chubu Electric Power confirmed on Tuesday, April 13, that their offices were raided by antitrust regulators.

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    Authorities investigated Kansai on suspicion of having prevented competition in the high-voltage power segment in Chubu, Kansai, and Chugoku areas in western and central Japan, the utility said in a statement.

    “We solemnly accept the raid and we will fully cooperate with the investigation,” a company spokeswoman said, without elaborating on the investigation.

    Chubu and its unit were also raided on suspicion of violations of the antimonopoly act in the high-voltage electricity market in Chubu and other regions as well as in low-voltage power and city gas markets in the Chubu region, it said in a statement.

    Media reports said the utilities had prevented competition by agreeing to not go after each other’s high-voltage power customers such as factories and other business owners, thereby preventing price cuts amid deregulation.

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