The Fair Trade Commission has searched the offices of four companies on suspicion they formed a cartel to control prices for fumigating plants imported through Narita airport, sources close to the case said Saturday.
The FTC searched Japan Airlines Co.'s cargo branch in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, Kokusai Kuko Uwaya, a Narita warehouse firm, and Yokohama-based sterilization firms Kanto Kogyo and Kanto Kunjo.
The four companies allegedly fixed prices to fumigate imported plants at the airport and had the two sterilization firms share orders, they said.