Japan’s antitrust body has searched the offices of four local brewing giants including Asahi and Sapporo, over allegations that they breached the country’s competition law.
A report from local public broadcaster NHK Japan today (7 October) said offices were raided on suspicion that brewers, which also include Kirin and Suntory Holdings, established a cartel to increase beer prices.
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These four brewers’ subsidiaries: Suntory Spirits, Sapporo Breweries, Asahi Breweries and Kirin Brewery Company, were the subject of the FTC’s on-site investigations.
According to the local public broadcaster, sources have said the companies are suspected of working together on when to raise beer prices and by how much in sales to wholesalers.
The four businesses raised prices in Japan in October 2022 and April 2025, citing elements such as rising costs of raw materials, NHK Japan reported.
Kirin, Suntory, Asahi and Sapporo are all members of the Brewers Association of Japan. NHK Japan also reported that, according to sources, “section-chief-level officials had allegedly met to coordinate around prices, and that “beer-like” beverages were included in those discussions.
According to financial news outlet Nikkei Asia, the Brewers Association has also been part of the FTC’s probe.
In separate stock exchange filings, Asahi, Suntory, Kirin and Sapporo each publicly confirmed their subsidiaries had been probed by Japan’s Fair Trade Commission.
They each said the investigation concerned a suspected breach of Japan’s antimonopoly law – the Act on Prohibition of Private Monopolization and Maintenance of Fair Trade.
Sapporo’s statement also noted that the investigation was “regarding transactions of alcoholic beverages, etc. (unfair trade restrictions on the selling price of alcoholic beverages by four major alcoholic beverage manufacturers)”.
Asahi said the expected impact on its financial results at this stage had “not been determined”, while Sapporo said it “is unclear”.
A filing from Kirin also said: “We take the fact that our subsidiary was searched very seriously and will fully cooperate with the Japan Fair Trade Commission’s investigation and requests.”
