Japan's Antitrust Watchdog Targets Ice Cream Makers for Price-Fixing

Japan's Fair Trade Commission inspected six ice cream manufacturers on June 16, including Meiji, for suspected price collusion under the Antimonopoly Act. The raids grant the JFTC power to seize documents and compel testimony. A handful of firms dominate the sector—structural conditions that invite cartel behavior. The move reflects the JFTC's intensifying focus on consumer goods as inflation pressures persist.