TOKYO — Japan’s Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) conducted raids on six major ice cream manufacturers this week over allegations that the companies coordinated price increases for ice cream and frozen dessert products, opening what media reports described as an unprecedented investigation into the sector.
The inspections, carried out on Tuesday, targeted major food companies including Meiji, Morinaga Milk Industry, Morinaga & Co., Lotte, Ezaki Glico and Akagi Nyugyo, according to Japanese media reports and people familiar with the matter. The companies are suspected of violating Japan’s Antimonopoly Act by exchanging information and coordinating retail price increases over several years.
The JFTC has not publicly detailed the allegations. However, Japanese news outlets reported that investigators suspect company executives shared information regarding the timing and scale of price hikes for ice cream products sold through supermarkets and convenience stores. Authorities are examining whether those exchanges resulted in unlawful restrictions on competition.
According to reports, the investigation focuses on repeated price increases introduced since 2022, a period when food manufacturers across Japan cited higher costs for raw materials, packaging and transportation. Authorities are investigating whether some of those increases went beyond what would have occurred under normal competitive conditions.
“The Fair Trade Commission conducted an on-site inspection on suspicion of violating the Antimonopoly Act,” Morinaga Milk Industry said in a statement reported by Japanese media, adding that it would cooperate fully with the investigation. Other companies under scrutiny also said they were cooperating with authorities.
The case comes as Japanese consumers continue to face rising food prices after years of relatively stable pricing. Ice cream manufacturers have repeatedly raised suggested retail prices in recent years, citing increases in ingredient and production costs. Industry data cited by Japanese media showed strong demand for frozen desserts despite higher prices and increasingly hot summer temperatures.
Japan’s antitrust watchdog has broad powers to conduct inspections, seize documents and interview company officials when investigating suspected cartels. If violations are confirmed, companies may face administrative penalties and other corrective measures under Japanese competition law. Details of any potential penalties remain unclear.
As of Wednesday, no formal findings had been announced and no charges had been filed. The JFTC said the investigation was ongoing, while the companies involved continued to state that they would cooperate with authorities as the inquiry proceeds.
