Japan probes Asahi, Kirin, Suntory and Sapporo over suspected beer price-fixing
The four breweries control more than 90% of Japan’s domestic beer market, with investigators examining alleged coordination of retail price increases.
JAPAN – Japanese authorities have raided the offices of the country’s four largest breweries over suspected collusion to coordinate beer and beverage price increases, raising concerns about possible violations of competition law.
Officials from the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) searched the offices of Asahi Breweries, Kirin Brewery, Suntory Beer and Sapporo Breweries. The companies collectively control more than 90% of Japan’s domestic beer market.
The breweries are suspected of violating the country’s anti-monopoly law by coordinating pricing decisions. JFTC Secretary General Hiroo Iwanari confirmed that an investigation had begun but declined to provide further details.
The four companies said they would cooperate with the authorities.
According to Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun, the investigation is examining the potential impact of the alleged coordination on prices charged by wholesalers to supermarkets, convenience stores, bars and restaurants.
Japanese media reports, citing sources familiar with the investigation, said sales managers and other executives from the breweries were suspected of holding secret meetings over an extended period to coordinate the timing and scale of retail price increases.
The reported increases ranged from several yen to several dozen yen at a time.
The commission suspects the breweries may have coordinated prices to protect profitability rather than compete independently, according to the Mainichi Shimbun.
Beer and happoshu, a low-malt beer alternative, have undergone several price increases in recent years as manufacturers cited rising raw material and distribution costs.
The four breweries last raised prices simultaneously in April 2025, following earlier increases in October 2022 and October 2023.
Japanese media reported that investigators consider the case serious because of its potential impact on consumers. The investigation could lead to a criminal complaint, although no outcome has been announced.
Japan’s alcoholic beverage market generated approximately ¥3.8 trillion (US$24.3 billion) in sales in 2024, despite declining alcohol consumption over recent decades amid population decline and changing drinking habits among younger consumers.
Beer accounted for 30% of the market, while happoshu and third-category beer, which contains little or no malt, represented a combined 11.9%.
The investigation follows a separate JFTC raid three months earlier on six Japanese ice-cream manufacturers over allegations of cartel activity, highlighting continued scrutiny of suspected anti-competitive practices across consumer goods industries.
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