Japan Opens Cartel Investigation Into Ice Cream Giants

Japan's Fair Trade Commission conducted on-site inspections of six ice cream manufacturers on June 16, 2026, including Meiji, on suspicion of price-fixing. The inspections signal probable cause under the Antimonopoly Act and grant the JFTC authority to seize documents and compel testimony. The sector is concentrated—a handful of firms control most supply—creating structural conditions for cartel behavior. The timing reflects broader JFTC aggression on consumer goods as inflation pressures mount.