Senior executives of Taisei and Kajima found guilty of bid-rigging
The Tokyo High Court on March 2, 2023, upheld a lower court's guilty verdict against Taisei Corp. and Kajima Corp. for bid-rigging in the Chuo Shinkansen bullet train project.
The High Court, presided over by Judge Toshikazu Ishii, rejected the defence's appeal against the Tokyo District Court's ruling, which ordered the two major general contractors to pay 250 million yen each in fines and sentenced former Taisei executive Takashi Okawa, 72, and former Kajima executive Ichiro Osawa, 65, to 18 months' imprisonment each, suspended for three years.
At the appeal hearing, the defence claimed that Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) which will operate the maglev line, had decided to award contracts to certain contractors and that there was therefore no competition. The judge rejected the claim. According to the ruling, Okawa and Osawa, in conspiracy with officials of two other major general contractors - Obayashi Corp. and Shimizu Corp., restricted competition by agreeing on contract winners in advance and informing each other of their planned bid prices for three construction sections between April 2014 and August 2015.
Info based on a Report by Jiji Press Tokyo, March 2, 2023 https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj20230 ... gging.html Accessed 2023-03-02
[JP] Senior executives of Taisei and Kajima found guilty of bid-rigging
-
latestnews
- Posts: 541
- Joined: 1. Oct 2021, 13:44
[JP] High-Speed Maglev Bid-Rigging Case
鹿島と大成建設、二審も敗訴 リニア談合、排除命令で
Kashima and Taisei Lose Appeal in High-Speed Maglev Bid-Rigging Case – Tokyo High Court Upholds Antitrust Ruling
Info based on Kyodo News, quoted by https://www.msn.com/ja-jp/news/national ... r-AA1EO2q1 Accessed 2025-05-15
In a high-profile bid-rigging case involving construction work for Japan's Chuo Shinkansen (Linear Central Shinkansen) – a next-generation magnetic levitation (maglev) train line operated by JR Central – two of Japan’s leading general contractors, Kashima Corporation and Taisei Corporation, have once again lost in court. On May 15, the Tokyo High Court dismissed the companies' appeals and upheld a lower court ruling by the Tokyo District Court, which had rejected their lawsuits seeking to overturn a cease-and-desist order issued by Japan’s Fair Trade Commission (JFTC). The JFTC had found the firms in violation of the Antimonopoly Act due to "unreasonable restraint of trade."
The administrative order, issued in December 2020, accused Kashima, Taisei, and two other major general contractors—Obayashi Corporation and Shimizu Corporation—of engaging in illegal coordination to predetermine which firm would win contracts for the construction of new maglev stations at Shinagawa and Nagoya.
In their legal defense, Taisei argued that no genuine "competition" had existed between firms, claiming this precluded the legal foundation for an antitrust violation. Kashima, for its part, contended that the project was an "unprecedented large-scale construction" effort, asserting that only firms with extensive preexisting preparations could realistically execute the work—making fair competition implausible.
Nonetheless, the court sided with the JFTC’s assessment that the coordinated actions of the firms amounted to a clear restriction of fair competition under Japanese antitrust law.
Kashima and Taisei Lose Appeal in High-Speed Maglev Bid-Rigging Case – Tokyo High Court Upholds Antitrust Ruling
Info based on Kyodo News, quoted by https://www.msn.com/ja-jp/news/national ... r-AA1EO2q1 Accessed 2025-05-15
In a high-profile bid-rigging case involving construction work for Japan's Chuo Shinkansen (Linear Central Shinkansen) – a next-generation magnetic levitation (maglev) train line operated by JR Central – two of Japan’s leading general contractors, Kashima Corporation and Taisei Corporation, have once again lost in court. On May 15, the Tokyo High Court dismissed the companies' appeals and upheld a lower court ruling by the Tokyo District Court, which had rejected their lawsuits seeking to overturn a cease-and-desist order issued by Japan’s Fair Trade Commission (JFTC). The JFTC had found the firms in violation of the Antimonopoly Act due to "unreasonable restraint of trade."
The administrative order, issued in December 2020, accused Kashima, Taisei, and two other major general contractors—Obayashi Corporation and Shimizu Corporation—of engaging in illegal coordination to predetermine which firm would win contracts for the construction of new maglev stations at Shinagawa and Nagoya.
In their legal defense, Taisei argued that no genuine "competition" had existed between firms, claiming this precluded the legal foundation for an antitrust violation. Kashima, for its part, contended that the project was an "unprecedented large-scale construction" effort, asserting that only firms with extensive preexisting preparations could realistically execute the work—making fair competition implausible.
Nonetheless, the court sided with the JFTC’s assessment that the coordinated actions of the firms amounted to a clear restriction of fair competition under Japanese antitrust law.
-
latestnews
- Posts: 541
- Joined: 1. Oct 2021, 13:44
[JP] Supreme Court Finalizes Guilty Rulings for Taisei, Kajima in Maglev Bid-Rigging Case
[JP] Supreme Court Finalizes Guilty Rulings for Taisei, Kajima in Maglev Bid-Rigging Case
Source: Jiji Press (via Nippon.com)
Original title:
Guilty Rulings to Be Finalized for Taisei, Kajima over Maglev Bid-Rigging
Date: September 15, 2026, 23:44 (JST)
Original language: English
Web link: https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2026091500874/
Accessed: September 15, 2026
Japan’s Supreme Court on September 15 finalized guilty rulings against Taisei Corp. and Kajima Corp. for bid-rigging on the Chuo Shinkansen maglev line project, rejecting their appeals.
The Third Petty Bench, led by Justice Eriko Watanabe, unanimously upheld 18-month prison sentences (suspended for three years) for former executives Takashi Okawa (75, Taisei) and Ichiro Osawa (69, Kajima), plus ¥250M (approx. €1.56M / $1.67M) fines on both firms. Obayashi and Shimizu’s fines were already finalized after voluntary reporting. The court cited collusion among the four companies’ senior officials, which undermined competition and enabled contract price manipulation.
Source: Jiji Press (via Nippon.com)
Original title:
Guilty Rulings to Be Finalized for Taisei, Kajima over Maglev Bid-Rigging
Date: September 15, 2026, 23:44 (JST)
Original language: English
Web link: https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2026091500874/
Accessed: September 15, 2026
Japan’s Supreme Court on September 15 finalized guilty rulings against Taisei Corp. and Kajima Corp. for bid-rigging on the Chuo Shinkansen maglev line project, rejecting their appeals.
The Third Petty Bench, led by Justice Eriko Watanabe, unanimously upheld 18-month prison sentences (suspended for three years) for former executives Takashi Okawa (75, Taisei) and Ichiro Osawa (69, Kajima), plus ¥250M (approx. €1.56M / $1.67M) fines on both firms. Obayashi and Shimizu’s fines were already finalized after voluntary reporting. The court cited collusion among the four companies’ senior officials, which undermined competition and enabled contract price manipulation.
-
Miss Maglev
- Posts: 587
- Joined: 23. Apr 2021, 13:30
Re: [JP] Senior executives of Taisei and Kajima found guilty of bid-rigging
size=150][JP] Supreme Court Finalizes ¥250M Fines for Taisei, Kajima in Maglev Bid-Rigging Case[/size]
Source: Tokyo News Media
Date: September 14, 2026
Original language: Japanese
Web link: https://tokyonewsmedia.com/archives/28004
Accessed: September 16, 2026
On September 14, Japan’s Supreme Court’s Third Petty Bench (Chief Justice Eriko Watanabe) rejected appeals from Taisei Corp., Kajima Corp., and their former executives, finalizing ¥250M (approx. €1.56M / $1.67M) fines on each firm and 18-month suspended prison sentences for ex-executives Takashi Okawa (75) and Ichiro Osawa (69).
The 2014–2015 case involved bid-rigging for Shinagawa and Nagoya station construction on the Chuo Shinkansen maglev line, where senior officials from the “Super Zenekon” quartet colluded to fix prices and pre-select winners. Lower courts had ruled: “[Translated quote] They contacted each other to create differences in bid prices, and it was a crime accompanied by thorough cooperative acts,” substantially restricting competition; the Supreme Court fully upheld these findings. With Obayashi (¥200M / approx. €1.25M / $1.33M) and Shimizu (¥180M / approx. €1.13M / $1.20M) fines already finalized, the ruling marks the end of an 8-year legal saga, delivering a strict judicial rebuke to opaque industry practices in the ¥5.5T (approx. €34.4B / $36.7B) project.
Source: Tokyo News Media
Date: September 14, 2026
Original language: Japanese
Web link: https://tokyonewsmedia.com/archives/28004
Accessed: September 16, 2026
On September 14, Japan’s Supreme Court’s Third Petty Bench (Chief Justice Eriko Watanabe) rejected appeals from Taisei Corp., Kajima Corp., and their former executives, finalizing ¥250M (approx. €1.56M / $1.67M) fines on each firm and 18-month suspended prison sentences for ex-executives Takashi Okawa (75) and Ichiro Osawa (69).
The 2014–2015 case involved bid-rigging for Shinagawa and Nagoya station construction on the Chuo Shinkansen maglev line, where senior officials from the “Super Zenekon” quartet colluded to fix prices and pre-select winners. Lower courts had ruled: “[Translated quote] They contacted each other to create differences in bid prices, and it was a crime accompanied by thorough cooperative acts,” substantially restricting competition; the Supreme Court fully upheld these findings. With Obayashi (¥200M / approx. €1.25M / $1.33M) and Shimizu (¥180M / approx. €1.13M / $1.20M) fines already finalized, the ruling marks the end of an 8-year legal saga, delivering a strict judicial rebuke to opaque industry practices in the ¥5.5T (approx. €34.4B / $36.7B) project.
-
latestnews
- Posts: 541
- Joined: 1. Oct 2021, 13:44
[JP] Senior executives of Taisei and Kajima found guilty of bid-rigging
[JP] Kajima and Taisei Suspend Industry Activities After Maglev Bid-Rigging Convictions
Source: Nikkei
Original title:
鹿島と大成建設、ゼネコン業界団体の活動自粛 リニア談合の有罪受け
Date: September 18, 2026, 16:53
Category: Construction/Real Estate
Original language: Japanese
Web link: https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUC ... 0C2000000/
Accessed: September 18, 2026
On September 18, the Japan Federation of Construction Contractors (Nikkenren) announced that Kajima Corp. and Taisei Corp. will voluntarily suspend their activities within the organization following their finalized guilty verdicts for bid-rigging in the Chuo Shinkansen maglev line construction.
Both companies’ top executives absented themselves from Nikkenren’s regular press conference that day. Vice Chairman Kenji Hasuwa (Obayashi Corp.) stated: “[Translated quote] It is truly regrettable that two member companies have received guilty verdicts. Nikkenren will continue to strongly demand all member companies to thoroughly comply with laws and regulations, and to uphold compliance.” He also emphasized efforts to rebuild trust in the construction industry as a key infrastructure sector.
Previously, Obayashi and Shimizu—also convicted in the same bid-rigging case—had suspended their Nikkenren activities for about six months, combining a 120-day business suspension under the Construction Business Act and the period until their verdicts were finalized. The suspension period for Kajima and Taisei remains undecided.
Source: Nikkei
Original title:
鹿島と大成建設、ゼネコン業界団体の活動自粛 リニア談合の有罪受け
Date: September 18, 2026, 16:53
Category: Construction/Real Estate
Original language: Japanese
Web link: https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUC ... 0C2000000/
Accessed: September 18, 2026
On September 18, the Japan Federation of Construction Contractors (Nikkenren) announced that Kajima Corp. and Taisei Corp. will voluntarily suspend their activities within the organization following their finalized guilty verdicts for bid-rigging in the Chuo Shinkansen maglev line construction.
Both companies’ top executives absented themselves from Nikkenren’s regular press conference that day. Vice Chairman Kenji Hasuwa (Obayashi Corp.) stated: “[Translated quote] It is truly regrettable that two member companies have received guilty verdicts. Nikkenren will continue to strongly demand all member companies to thoroughly comply with laws and regulations, and to uphold compliance.” He also emphasized efforts to rebuild trust in the construction industry as a key infrastructure sector.
Previously, Obayashi and Shimizu—also convicted in the same bid-rigging case—had suspended their Nikkenren activities for about six months, combining a 120-day business suspension under the Construction Business Act and the period until their verdicts were finalized. The suspension period for Kajima and Taisei remains undecided.