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Japan’s Antitrust Watchdog to Order JR Central, Others to Halt Bid-Rigging

By  |  October 5, 2025

The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) is preparing to issue a cease-and-desist order against Central Japan Railway (JR Central) and five other companies for allegedly rigging bids related to overpass inspection work, according to people familiar with the matter.

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    Per a statement, the six firms are suspected of colluding to determine in advance which company would win contracts for inspecting overpasses that span railways operated by JR Central. The alleged coordination began no later than February 2021, the people said.

    While JR Central did not directly participate in the bidding process, it allegedly played a behind-the-scenes role in helping decide the outcomes of the tenders through coordination with the other firms, according to the same sources.

    The JFTC plans to levy fines totaling around ¥100 million on five of the companies, excluding JR Central, per the statement. Those firms reportedly include JR Central Consultants, Dainichi Consultant, Tonichi Engineering Consultants, and Japan Transportation Consultants.

    This action follows on-site inspections that the JFTC carried out in October last year at JR Central and several related companies as part of its investigation into potential violations of antitrust laws.

    Source: Japan Times