The Fair Trade Commission said Thursday 45 domestic bridge-builders rigged bids for 260 billion yen worth of state and Japan Highway Public Corp. contracts from 2002 to 2004.
Penalties for the illegal acts, which earlier reports alleged spanned 40 years, may reach 15 billion yen.
The antimonopoly watchdog ordered the firms to make sure whistle-blowers are protected and to clean up their act, and told Japan Highway to improve its bridge contract procurements, alleging that about 20 former Japan Highway officials were deeply involved in the bid-rigging to help secure them future jobs with the 45 firms after they retired from the bureaucracy, a practice known as "amakudari" (descent from heaven).