Fair Trade Commission Raids Three Refrigeration Firms in Seven-Eleven Supply Investigation

Japan's Fair Trade Commission raided the offices of three companies on July 14, 2026, over suspected bid-rigging in contracts to supply refrigeration equipment to Seven-Eleven Japan stores. The FTC searched Fuji Electric's offices in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward, Nakano Refrigerators' offices in the capital's Minato Ward and SDRS's offices in Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture.

The companies are suspected of prearranging winners for each prefecture in bids held every few years by Seven-Eleven Japan to select suppliers of refrigerated and frozen display cases.

Successful bidders installed the equipment at newly opened and renovated Seven-Eleven outlets during the contract periods. In recent years the three companies have won most of the orders from the chain operator. Seven-Eleven Japan buys the equipment and leases it to franchise operators, which account for about 99 percent of the company's total outlets in the country.

Domestic shipments of refrigerated and frozen display cases mainly used at convenience stores, supermarkets and other retailers totaled about 250,000 units in fiscal 2025, according to the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association. Fuji Electric, Nakano Refrigerators and SDRS each acknowledged the raids. Fuji Electric said it would respond sincerely to the investigation.