Five oil sales companies admit charges in the diesel price cartel case at first trial

The Tokyo District Court (presiding judge Naoyuki Fukushima) held the first trial on the 3rd for five oil marketing companies, including East Japan Usami (Tokyo), who were charged with violating the Antimonopoly Act (unfair restraint of trade) in a price cartel case involving the sale of diesel oil to corporations such as transporters in Tokyo, and all five companies admitted to the charges.

Other companies charged with the same crime are ENEOS Wing (Nagoya City), Enex Fleet (Osaka City), Kitaseki (Miyagi Prefecture), and Kyoei Sekiyu (Tokyo). No charges have been filed against the individuals in charge.

In their opening statement, prosecutors pointed out that the industry had been holding regional meetings called "F meetings" since around November 2012 at the latest, to discuss average sales prices and the content of negotiations with customers. He said that since October 2019 in the Tokyo metropolitan area, sales representatives from a total of eight companies, including five companies, have been meeting monthly in a private room at a restaurant in what they call a "central meeting."

In some cases, companies that sold products at low prices contrary to the agreement were required to make corrections. In February last year, when the Fair Trade Commission conducted on-site inspections in Nagano Prefecture, it was revealed that the format was changed from meetings to telephone calls to reach consensus.

During the examination of evidence, reports from executives and sales representatives from each company were read out, with statements such as, ``We felt we had no choice but to deal with customers who have strong bargaining power,'' and ``It had become common knowledge in the industry that our senses were paralyzed.''

According to the indictment, between October and December 2024, representatives from the five companies agreed to increase the price of diesel oil sold to transport companies and other companies under corporate contracts, or to limit the amount of price reduction.