Leading global designer furniture brand, Kartell, is hit with a staggering fine of 5.9 billion Yen over allegations of cartel-like behavior in the Japanese marketplace. The allegations revolve around price fixing and other forms of collusion with other distributors. While no exact timeline is given, the headline indicates this is a recent development and the case is likely ongoing.

Price fixing and collusion breaches Japan’s Antimonopoly Act, and the substantial fine reflects the serious attitudes towards maintaining economic fairness. The issue generally attracts attention in Japan due to concerns over consumer rights and fair trade.

Like Japan, both the US and EU have stringent laws against anti-competitive practices. Firms in violation of these regulations in the US and EU are likely to face severe fines and potentially criminal charges.