Japan's Fair Trade Commission has executed coordinated raids on six of the nation's leading ice cream manufacturers following the emergence of evidence suggesting systematic price coordination. The regulatory body alleges that the companies maintained artificially inflated prices for frozen dessert products through collusive arrangements. Search warrants were simultaneously executed at corporate headquarters and regional offices spanning multiple prefectures.
Price-fixing constitutes a serious violation of Japanese competition law, which mandates fair market practices to protect consumer welfare. Should the allegations prove accurate, the implicated firms face substantial financial penalties and potential criminal prosecution of senior executives. The investigation reflects an intensification of antitrust enforcement within Japan's food manufacturing sector, where regulatory bodies have signaled a renewed commitment to combating anti-competitive conduct.
Sources: nytimes.com / ft.com
The words in bold are from the article.
| 1. coordinated | a. requires |
| 2. emergence | b. conspiratorial |
| 3. systematic | c. well-being |
| 4. inflated | d. appearance |
| 5. collusive | e. escalation |
| 6. mandates | f. incriminated |
| 7. welfare | g. artificially raised |
| 8. implicated | h. simultaneously organized |
| 9. intensification | i. restricting fair trade |
| 10. anti-competitive | j. methodical |
1.h 2.d 3.j 4.g 5.b 6.a 7.c 8.f 9.e 10.i