Japan - Furukawa fined US$200M by U.S. DoJ for collusion in U.S. auto component supply market - 0 views
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James Wright on 06 Oct 11Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd., the Japan-based wire and cable manufacturer, has reached a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice under which it will plead guilty to U.S. antitrust violations and pay a fine of US$200M. Separate felony charges levelled against three Furukawa executive employees involved in the collusion have resulted in a combined total of 45 months in U.S. jail terms. The case relates to the collaborative investigations by Japan, the U.S. and the E.U. following the February 2010 raids by Japanese authorities on Furukawa and its competitors: Fujikura Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries and Yazaki Corporation. The companies are suspected of being involved in price-fixing and bid-rigging within the automotive components industry. All of the manufacturers, with the notable exception of Furukawa who avoided penalties through reporting the cartel, were also fined a total of ¥12B (US$150M) in June by the Japan Fair Trade Commission for anti-competitive offences in the domestic automotive wire harness market. However, the total cost in penalties in the U.S. could escalate as the remaining companies undergo court judgements after they decide to either enter plea agreements or wait for a court hearing.