The Japan Fair Trade Commission recommended that Oji Container, a group company of Oji Holdings, pay the equivalent of the costs of items it had required contractors to store free of charge and take measures to prevent recurrence, after finding a violation of the former Subcontracting Act. The period was from June 2024 to November 2025, and the items covered totaled 9,610 printing plates and other items belonging to business partners commissioned to manufacture corrugated board.
The Japan Fair Trade Commission found that Oji Container had violated the former Subcontracting Act by having subcontractors store printing plates and other items owned by the company or its customers free of charge, and issued a recommendation. The period covered was from June 2024 to November 2025. Although the company had no plans for an extended period to place orders for products using the printing plates, wood patterns and dies, it had the subcontractors store a total of 9,610 items free of charge.
The commission determined that the practice constituted an “unreasonable request for the provision of an economic benefit.” In response to the investigation, Oji Container explained that its head office had communicated the agreement on storage costs with business partners to its plants, but said the information had not been sufficiently disseminated.
The company has already paid part of the storage costs to some subcontractors and indicated its intention to pay the remainder. The Japan Fair Trade Commission recommended measures to prevent recurrence and payment of the equivalent costs.