Japan's Fair Trade Commission raids four largest brewers over price-fixing allegations

Alleged coordinated 2022 and 2025 price hikes draw antitrust scrutiny

Japan’s Fair Trade Commission on Wednesday raided the country’s four largest beer companies on allegations they worked together to raise prices for wholesalers.

The commission opened investigations into Asahi Breweries, Kirin Brewery, Sapporo Breweries and Suntory Spirits, all based in Tokyo, according to a UPI report. The four companies together control more than 90% of Japan’s beer market.

The companies are accused of violating the Japanese Antimonopoly Act, Japanese media reports said. Compulsory investigations under the law allow investigators with warrants to search premises and seize evidence, a process The Japan Times said is often deployed in cases considered damaging to customers.

Investigators suspect the companies coordinated the timing and scale of price increases for beer, low-malt beer and other beer-like beverages over several years, the UPI report said. The commission is examining whether executives met separately after meetings of the Brewers Association of Japan to set those prices.

The commission is looking at whether the meetings produced artificially inflated prices for retailers and restaurants, which may have passed the higher costs on to consumers.

All four companies confirmed to The Japan Times that they were being investigated and said they would fully cooperate with the probe.

Suntory, which owns U.S. liquor brands including Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark bourbons and Cruzan Rum, confirmed that there was “an on-site inspection in connection with a potential violation of Japan’s Antimonopoly Act relating to domestic alcohol trade practices.” Suntory added: “We sincerely apologize for any concern or inconvenience this situation may cause to our customers, business partners and other stakeholders. We will cooperate fully with the JFTC’s investigation.”

Kirin Holdings said it takes the matter “very seriously” and would “fully cooperate with the Japan Fair Trade Commission’s investigation and any requests for cooperation.” Kirin told the BBC that the impact on its financial results “has not been determined” and that it would “promptly disclose any material developments as they arise.”

Asahi Breweries told the BBC that it was “subject to investigation by the Japan Fair Trade Commission” and would “fully cooperate with the commission.”

The companies carried out a series of price increases they attributed to rising raw materials and transportation costs. All of the price increases came within the same months — October 2022 and April 2025 — the UPI report said.

According to Japan’s National Tax Agency, domestic sales by alcoholic beverage manufacturers of beer and low-malt beer totaled $10.1 billion in 2024.

Under the Antimonopoly Act, companies found to have engaged in illegal price fixing face financial and other penalties. The law’s compulsory-investigation provisions permit the warrant-based searches the commission carried out Wednesday.