News On Japan

Stores may have colluded to raise shipping charges

Jul 20 (NHK) - Officials at the Japan Fair Trade Commission are investigating major department stores in Osaka. They suspect the firms colluded on increasing delivery fees.

The stores include Takashimaya, Daimaru Matsuzakaya, Sogo & Seibu, Hankyu Hanshin and Kintetsu.

Sources say the department stores allegedly agreed to increase delivery charges for mid-summer and year-end gifts by the same amount.

Authorities say the stores raised nationwide shipping charges for mid-summer gifts last year by about 90 cents to about 2 dollars and 70 cents.

They also allegedly raised charges for sending commodities to western Japan and to Tokyo by about 45 cents to around 3 dollars and 10 cents between 2015 and 2016.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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