Japan Free Trade Commission
Aiming for Free and Fair competition
Today, please tell us about cartels.
What is a Cartel?
Inspector Koshobu Tsutomu
Inspector Kazami Shinichi
A cartel is a group of businesses that communicate with each other
CARTEL
to agree on the price, sales, production volume, etc. of a product.
Why don't we raise the price together?
That's the way to go! Profits will go up too!
That way, there's no need to compete...
and the quantity of goods to be sold and produced.
What is a Cartel?
What happens when a cartel is formed?
Competition is eliminated.
Same price in every store. And it's expensive.
It causes prices to be driven up unfairly and high prices to be set.
PRODUCTS
What is a Cartel?
So the bad guys are working together to cheat.
Bad guys?
But...
But... such associations are surprisingly fragile, aren't they?
Guardians of Competition
Among three hotel companies in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture,
President of Onsenkyou Kizuna Masaoka Ichiro.
Amazawa Group Executive Director Amazawa Unkai
a wedding cartel is suspected to have been formed.
The important thing is to find out where the secret talks took place.
President Ando is said to be in a critical condition.
President of Classical Hotel Ando Masao
Do you think this has something to do with the cartel we're pursuing?
On December 24th, Unkai will be in Okinawa on a business trip.
Hotel Amazawa Hotel Manager Nagazawa Toshiya
Please investigate during that time.
The purpose of this on-site inspection is to uncover supplier bullying.
However, as much as possible, we will also gather information on the wedding cartel.
Unkai-san.
Where did you hide the documents on price fixing of wedding fees?
I couldn't find it anywhere in the office.
There's no way there's anything like that.
Nagasawa contacted me saying he found out where the cartel's files were kept.
I'm sorry.
Good job.
Nagasawa!
Let's just give up now.
You can't open the door without a key card.
We're locked up in here.
Why did he lock us up...
New Inspector Shirokuma Kaede
This is a storeroom.
They're going to tell the police that JFTC officials trespassed here to investigate.
We'll probably be discovered by the guards tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow morning?
Why, of all days, today...
It's Christmas.
Inspector Koshobu Tsutomu
Eh?
Did you have plans for tonight, Shirokuma?
Even I... have a boyfriend.
Don't you look a little too surprised?
That was kind of you to let them keep their coats on.
I didn't want them to freeze to death.
I can't believe it.
Nagasawa would do something like this.
I didn't know how I should feel.
But I finally understood.
It's okay to be angry.
I'm sure this is what Unkai told him after the on-site inspection.
"If you cooperate, I'll put you back to work at the hotel."
"If you refuse,"
"you won't be able to live in this town with your family anymore." or something.
That's terrible.
"Nagasawa-san has his own reasons and you can't blame him.", don't tell me...
that's what you're thinking?
There are people who would never betray you no matter what the situation.
But Nagasawa, who betrayed us...
is weak after all.
Even though he is weak, I think he is still fighting,
in his own way.
I wonder.
Alright...
This wall is made of a different material.
Shirokuma?
You're kidding, right?
Attack!
It's no use.
It's a good thing we have access to the restroom and hot water.
It'll hold us over until morning. Let's go back.
There's nothing to go back there.
I found something interesting earlier.
Investigation Team Cap Kazami Shinichi
It's no good.
No matter how hard we look, I can't find anything related to the wedding cartel.
Inspector Momozono Chiyoko
I wonder where Koshobu and Shirokuma have gone.
Inspector Rokkaku Kosuke
I beg of them, please don't cause any more problems!
Is it that interesting?
Past accommodation logs and customer cards?
Huh... I'm starving.
We were planning to go to an Italian restaurant today.
- What? - Don't act so surprised.
I go to Italian restaurants too.
No, not that. Have a look at this.
Hmm?
Here are the names of Classical Hotel's Ando,
and Onsenkyo Kizuna's Masaoka
Both of them are using room 1107.
Ando and Masaoka...
Aren't they the targets of the Wedding Cartel's investigation?
Hmm?
This person, is a party to the cartel that was uncovered.
I remember seeing this in a past court case.
How can you remember such a thing?
This person... and this person too.
They all use room 1107.
Eh?
There was even this person.
Toyoshima?
Ah...
I see.
If it's a hotel room,
it wouldn't draw attention even if a company executive entered.
This is where the cartel held their secret talks.
Eh... wouldn't this be a great piece of evidence?
If we can get it out.
Eh?
If you take it out without permission, it's theft.
Well, now that you've broken down the wall...
*If she did not break the wall, they could have charged the hotel for illegal confinement, and the police would have confiscated the contents of the room as evidence, possibly helping the JFTC in their case against Unkai.
The police could have easily confiscated it.
Ah...
What are the two of you doing?
This is definitely an illegal investigation by the JFTC.
They're even trespassing.
We really haven't done anything wrong.
Now the world is on our side.
What are your thoughts on the actions of the JFTC?
This is an attempt by the government to bully the weak by taking advantage of their position.
That's a terrible thing to say.
I hear that complaints are pouring in to the General Affairs Department.
We apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused.
No need to apologize.
Chief Inspector Honjo Satoko
Thanks to you, we know where the wedding cartel's meeting place is.
And that the room was being used for other cartels and bid-rigging.
But I had valuable information right in front of me.
I couldn't take it out.
That's a wise decision. If you had taken it out, we would have had a big problem.
Yes, this is Honjo.
I apologize for the trouble I've caused.
They're calling you out so quickly?
I'll take the heat for this. Everyone else, keep investigating.
Yes, ma'am.
We found out where the cartel held their secret talks.
All that's left is the date and time.
By the way, Shirokuma.
What's he doing?
I wonder.
He must've gone crazy from being locked up.
Hey... why? Why?
Why?
Yes, this is Bureau 6.
Eh?
It's just as Koshobu said would happen.
My husband was released after that.
...you already agreed to be under their umbrella, didn't you?
I'm sure your husband will be released.
So I talked it over with my husband.
Is it okay to leave things as they are?
Is it okay to do as Unkai says?
And then?
We decided to fight.
To our newborn child,
I want to say proudly that this is our flower shop.
That's what we thought.
Then... the Amazawa Group?
We're leaving it.
From now on, we're going to work hard on our own without depending on the hotel.
Please do your best.
So, today...
I came here to tell you something.
I know you're all investigating the hotel cartel.
Do you know how they communicate with each other?
No, I don't.
Actually, we, the suppliers, are the messengers,
relaying messages between the hotels.
I see.
If it's through a person, there's no evidence left behind.
And it's not surprising for suppliers to go in and out of every hotel.
So I got a new message the other day.
Unkai and Onsenkyo Kizuna's Masaoka will be meeting,
on January 17th.
Please expose Unkai's evil deeds.
Yes!
2022 January 17th Day of the Meeting
Start Recording?
Are you sure about this? Masaoka-san?
I can't allow Momo-chan to cry any more.
"Momo-chan"? Shhh...
Thank you, boss.
Please behave naturally, so that you don't get caught.
I'm going in.
When did you...
How did you convince Masaoka?
Hmm? Knowing the date and time of the secret meeting.
With all this, it was a piece of cake.
As expected of Momozono's forcefulness.
I'm looking forward to hearing what they have to say.
It's been a while, Unkai-san.
Thank you.
Please come in.
As usual, you're looking nice today.
No, it's nothing special.
That's not natural.
What is it? That sound.
Just in case.
I brought a bug detector.
This room seems to be bugged.
What?
Don't tell me... it's you?
Are you kidding?
A bug detector? Are you sure it's okay?
A bug detector only detects radio frequencies.
It shouldn't detect cell phone signals.
Oh no...
There it is.
This is where the bug was.
Thank goodness... don't scare me anymore.
But why is there a bug?
This is the first time I've seen it.
How many times have I seen it now?
Each time I'm disappointed.
But I know who planted the bug.
It's Ando.
What?
Why would Ando be bugging them? Isn't he one of them?
Actually, I asked you to come here today to talk about this.
What do you mean?
Ando bugged this room.
He was recording the secret talks that took place here.
"If you don't want the audio to go public, you have to pay".
Well, it seems that he was making money that way.
Ando threatened one of these companies,
and I received a complaint from that company, that our hotel was being bugged.
That's how I found out.
That means...
Our cartel discussions were also recorded, weren't they?
That's right.
He admitted it! He admitted it...
He just admitted the existence of the cartel.
But... it's just audio.
Unless Unkai admits it, it can't be used as official proof.
But it can be used to shake things up.
Nice one, Masaoka-chan.
But Ando got stabbed, didn't he?
I don't know where the recordings are being kept.
I visited the Classical Hotel several times.
That's why he was at the hotel, he was searching for the recording.
- I need your help. - Of course.
I'll look into Ando's surroundings.
I'm counting on you.
Huh...
We just heard some great stuff, didn't we?
If we can get Ando's recordings,
we'll be able to bring down Unkai, right?
I think so too.
It's Cap.
I heard from the prosecutor's office that Ando's regained consciousness.
Well, that was already two weeks ago.
Two weeks? Why didn't they tell us right away?
The prosecutor's office is taking advantage of the JFTC.
Momozono, please take care of things here.
Eh?
I'm going to visit him right away.
Hey... wait.
Close the door!
Wow, that's a lot of sweets! Are all these get-well gifts?
I don't remember attracting attention from the JFTC. Please leave.
Are you sure?
We have quite a bit of information.
Why don't you just catch the guy who stabbed me first?
Where are you hiding the recordings?
Recordings? What are you talking about?
You were stabbed, right?
You must have done something pretty bad.
- What!? - Oh, this looks delicious.
If you want it, you can have it. Just take it and leave.
What, you're really taking it?
But he said we could have it.
How are you going to find the recordings? I guess it's at his home...
Hmm...
According to surveillance footage, the perpetrator ... was wearing a black hoodie, gloves, and a mask.
Uhm...
Excuse me.
Hey! Wait a minute!
Mitsuki?
Mitsuki admitted to stabbing Ando.
Why did Mitsuki...
Public Prosecutor on Secondment Midorikawa Eiko
She told me everything.
I'm sorry.
Dear!
After my father tried to kill himself...
I found his notebook.
In that notebook,
"Hotel Amazawa, Amazawa Unkai" was written several times.
So she went to see Unkai to find out the truth behind Toyoshima's suicide.
My father...
Why would he commit suicide?
Actually, your father...
he was threatened,
by a man named Ando.
And then Mitsuki...
But after that,
realizing the gravity of what she had done,
decided to turn herself in.
But first, she went to the hospital to apologize to Ando.
Are you saying Ando threatened Toyoshima, too?
No, so far we haven't found any connection between the two.
Eh?
Then why did Unkai say that?
He used Mitsuki
to try to get rid of Ando.
If the recordings got leaked,
it would stir up resentment from the cartel members he's been taking money from.
Unkai wouldn't be able to get away with it.
I think that's why he wanted to stop Ando at all cost before that happens.
To save his own skin...
Mitsuki got caught up in all this.
He's a terrible man, isn't he?
Ando testified that he didn't know about Toyoshima or Mitsuki.
Ando's going to get away with it again.
Come on, at a time like this?
I'm sorry I missed lunch...
Ahh, I've already lost my concentration. Break time.
Well then, I'll be going now.
Huh? What's this? Oh, it looks delicious. Did someone bring it?
Dorayaki
What?
Here you go. You must be hungry, right?
- Thank you very much! - Rokkaku, make tea.
- Ooh... - Yes, eat up.
Yes.
Thanks.
Is it good? This looks good.
- Where did you get it from? - I don't know.
- Ah... that's mine! - Eh? Wait a minute.
Eh? What?
Eh... Shirokuma? Shirokuma? Shirokuma?
Are you joking? What's going on? Shirokuma!
Rokkaku, call an ambulance! Shirokuma!
How can you eat so much?
You were unconscious for two days.
When I got better, I suddenly got hungry.
First you got locked up, and now you're eating poisoned dorayaki!
What's going on at the JFTC?
Well... it looks like I'll be discharged tomorrow.
Section 1 Criminal Investigation Team Omori Tetsuya
Don't worry.
You should rest for a while.
That's right.
Yeah.
Eh? Eh?
Eh? Could it be.... Are you the boyfriend?
This is Koshobu from the JFTC.
Ah, nice to meet you. I'm Omori.
Hello. Hey.....
Did you come to visit me?
Nope.
I came to give you this.
An application for workplace injury compensation.
- Thank you very much. - Sure.
But thanks to you, I'm physically strong.
I know that.
I saw you burst through the wall right in front of my eyes.
What?
Huh? Oh, that's right. Uhm...
The investigation... how's it going?
We're one step away from winning the game.
Game?
Why are there.... so many people here?
Almost everyone from Bureau 1 to 6 are all here.
Koshobu prepared this.
- What's he doing? - I wonder.
While Shirokuma was in the hospital,
he's been working on the computer the whole time.
Good mor....
Eh? He's still working on it?
He didn't go home yet...
- Good morning. - Good morning.
'Morning.
It's done!
What?
Honjo-san, may I have a word?
Incredible! How did he do it...
As you know, Bureau 6 is now the target of public criticism.
But we did not conduct any illegal investigations.
Our people have been deceived, locked up,
and falsely accused and put under suspicion.
One of our own nearly lost her life the other day.
The culprit behind all this is Amazawa Unkai.
Can we, the JFTC,
just let it end like this?
Can we just let him get away with it?
I will not let him get away!
For that reason, please lend me your help.
Please believe in us and lend us your strength.
Please!
Yes, ma'am!
Now then, I'll tell you the assignments.
Rokkaku, I have a favor to ask.
What is it?
What are you doing here?
I'm here to interview Unkai. Will you show us the way?
There's no way you're meeting him. Please leave.
Nagasawa, thank you for the other day.
You betrayed me in a spectacular way.
That was, well...
I believe that you are fighting in your own way.
Cooperate with us.
Please.
The JFTC?
Nagasawa, why did you let them through?
If it's an on-site inspection, I refuse. Please leave.
I came here today to talk.
You haven't met me in person very often.
There's nothing to talk about.
We have a mountain of information now.
First, let's talk about Room 1107 at Hotel Amazawa.
You are offering Room 1107 to various businesses to discuss cartel related business.
As a safe, locked room.
What are you talking about?
You received a huge lodging fee in addition to the room charges, correct?
Did you use the money to donate to charity?
Well, that's what we found on the laptop.
But Ando found out about your business.
He bugged Room 1107 about a year ago,
and recorded the conversations there.
And Ando used the recordings,
to threaten the cartel.
I would like you to stop making these wild speculations.
Speculation?
Your voice is on the recording.
Ando threatened one of these companies,
and I received a complaint from that company, that our hotel was being bugged.
That's how I found out.
That means...
Our cartel discussions were also recorded, weren't they?
That's right.
With Masaoka's cooperation,
we had it recorded.
That's why you decided to dispose of Ando.
You thought that if you killed him, the recordings wouldn't get leaked.
You used Toyoshima Mitsuki,
by making her hate Ando.
Wait a minute.
I told her about Ando, but I didn't expect her to stab him.
- She's a high school student. - Because she's a high school student.
You used her, didn't you?
Because you can get away by saying so.
But Mitsuki couldn't kill Ando.
So you had to take a different approach.
After Ando regained consciousness,
you went to visit him, didn't you?
If he give you all the recordings he took,
you would keep quiet about the recordings and the threats.
But Ando refused to acknowledge the fact that he had been secretly listening.
That's why you slipped poisoned dorayaki into the many get-well gifts in his hospital room,
in an attempt to poison him.
Huh... Poisoning? That's bullshit.
Bullshit?
My team member ate the dorayaki and almost died!
We told Ando-san everything.
Unkai tried to kill me?
A toxic substance was detected in the dorayaki the other day.
Thanks to you, one of our employees is in the hospital.
As for you getting stabbed, Unkai was behind it all along.
I wonder what kind of trick he'll pull next.
Are you sure you want to keep getting beaten by him?
In order for it not to get that far,
Ando submitted the recordings to the JFTC.
Well, he'd rather do that than get killed.
Unkai-san.... You're alone now.
Ando, Masaoka, the people around you...
Everyone has abandoned you.
Can't you just admit it?
Cartel room?
What is that?
You all just made that up, didn't you?
Anyway... I don't know anything about a wedding cartel.
And what about the dorayaki?
There is no proof that I poisoned it.
Are you still trying to talk your way out of it?
Cap.
I've been waiting for you, Rokkaku. And?
It was just as Koshobu said.
One of the staff members
admitted to having supplied cyanide to Unkai.
We are currently conducting an on-site inspection
of a major chemical company that you colluded with in a cartel.
We figured it out, you know?
The source of the poison in the dorayaki.
No, brilliant work, really.
You must have thought you could get me if you got this far.
But I won't be fooled.
It's all an act, isn't it? You guys...
didn't get Ando's recording.
We're not investigating based on recordings alone.
Unkai-san.
You once locked up two of our valued team members in an old hotel.
Do you know what was in there?
Accommodation logs and customer cards.
Huh, there's no such thing.
That's what we found.
Based on that.
We were able to identify the other parties of the cartel,
outside of the recordings.
Do you even know what you're talking about?
Even if there is such a thing.
If you took it without permission, it's theft.
Nagasawa led us to the archives,
and we compiled a report on what we saw there.
That's not illegal.
We didn't take any materials.
If you check it out, you'll see what I mean.
This much? You're saying you memorized it?
That's ridiculous.
I have a good memory.
Once I see and understand something, I never forget it.
Incredible.
Ah, if you don't believe me, why don't you go and check?
Oh, I forgot to mention that it's not just chemical manufacturers that are undergoing on-site inspections now.
What?
Based on this list and Ando's recordings,
any businesses in the Kanto region that used the cartel room,
we're conducting simultaneous on-site inspections on all of them.
That's a lie. That's impossible.
I won't be fooled.
Please...
Answer it.
Yes.
Eh?
That's...
I'll talk to you about that later.
Is this a complaint call from a business that was inspected?
Executive Director, the phones in the office are ringing non-stop.
Every company wants to talk to you.
It's over for you.
You admit that, don't you?
What do you people know about my vision?
I'm taking money from people who make money for personal gain and putting it to good use.
I give money to charities and incompetent businesses. I help them by buying their stores and bringing them under my umbrella!
Just like that flower shop and this bad tapioca shop!
What's wrong with that?
Everyone in this town thanks me!
Don't you know how much misery you've caused?
The collusion that took place within the cartel you created,
resulted in companies not being able compete,
and countless employees suffered as a result of that.
Toyoshima even lost his life because of the collusion.
And...
You even manipulated his daughter, Mitsuki,
into committing attempted murder.
That's not all.
The wedding cartel you created,
has caused people in this town to pay high prices for weddings without even knowing it.
The flower suppliers are forced to work under harsh conditions.
They've been enduring it desperately.
For my child's sake...
I can't let the store collapse.
You were always in a safe place.
That's why you never understood their suffering.
But there is nothing to protect you anymore.
It's time for you to face them.
In their anger.
Heh, what can you do?
You gonna arrest me for attempted murder?
That's the job for the police.
For violating Article 94 of the Antitrust Law,
you have been charged.
Simply put, it's for refusing to submit to an on-site inspection.
There's no precedent for that penalty being used.
There is nothing that any of you can do!
Tochigi Prefectural Police.
Amazawa Unkai.
Please accompany us to Tochigi Prefectural Police station for attempted murder and violation of the Antitrust Law.
If you think officials will give up just because there's no precedent, you're mistaken.
This way.
Don't move.
Take one more step and I'll kill her!
Unkai.
Looks like your luck has run out.
That's too much!
But...
Is he okay?
You even tried to use me, to protect yourself.
It's finally over, right?
What are you talking about? The hell is just beginning.
What?
We'll be reading the seized documents from businesses all over the Kanto region.
We'll also need to interview the people involved.
I'll be responsible for the interviews.
Ah, you're trying to run away from reading documents again!
Nagasawa.
Thank you for today.
No...
Uhm... if I hadn't let you in the room.
What were you going to do?
I knew you would fight with me.
Uhm... the accommodation logs and customer cards,
that were left in the archives in the old building...
I thought it might be of some use.
Due to a violation of Article 3 of the Antitrust Law.
A cease and desist order was issued.
Hotel Amazawa has been assessed and will be fined 290 million yen.
Prosecutors have instructed the police,
to reopen the investigation into Amazawa Unkai.
Not a single mention of the JFTC.
Even though we worked so hard.
She wants to show-off.
We didn't get to arrest him, huh?
- That's just the way it is. - Focus! Focus!
Focus.
Good work!
Good work.
Toyoshima Mitsuki
was found to have extenuating circumstances,
and the family court has decided to put her into protective custody.
I'm so glad.
And this is for you.
Oh!
It's beautiful.
Ah.
"To everyone at the JFTC,
With our newborn child, the three of us will do our best from now on.
Thank you very much.
Okay, that's all. I don't have time to hold your hands.
Go back to work. Okay, okay.
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Kiyomasa Todo
I heard you've been very active, Honjo-san.
To uncover such a large number of cases at once.
No, not that many.
I heard it was an on-site inspection based on a list made from memory.
You took a lot of risks, didn't you?
Indeed, I took a big gamble.
Please don't be too hard on yourself.
Well, then.
The person who made the list that was the decisive factor,
was an inspector named Koshobu.
Well... that's...
a very talented person that you have.
I have high expectations.
Thank you very much.
*Set Meal
We went from Italian restaurant to restaurant, but ended up at a Teishoku* place.
That's fine. This place is delicious.
Kaede.
Why don't you quit this job already?
Heh...
It's true, it's a small government agency and they have no money.
They can't investigate like the police.
I hate reading documents.
But...
the JFTC is capable...
of doing great things. I believe.
So I'd like to try a little more.
I see.
I'll explain the new case.
This company, Ares Electric,
is engaged in an act that constitutes abuse of a superior bargaining position.
Bureau 6 will be investigating.
Don't tell me it's that Ares Electric...
A global electronics manufacturer.
Hahahaha... We've got a great case, right?
What?
What's wrong?
Ah... I know this guy.
He looks like a nice guy.
- You know him? - No...
He's the guy I let slip through my fingers.
Eh...