建設コンサルタント登録規程 Enforcement Actions in Japan

On December 19, 2025, the Japan Fair Trade Commission issued a cease-and-desist order and a surcharge payment order against Maruei Investigation & Design Co., Ltd. and four other companies, and Tokai Railway Company (JR Tokai), for conduct found to violate Article 3 of the Antimonopoly Act (prohibition of unreasonable trade restraints). The orders were later finalized. As a result, the registration for all departments of the construction consultant registration was suspended.

On December 19, 2025, the Japan Fair Trade Commission issued a cease-and-desist order and a surcharge payment order, and the orders were later finalized, finding that JR Tokai Consultants Co., Ltd. and four other companies (the “Five Companies”), and Tokai Passenger Railway Company (JR Tokai), had agreed—at the latest from February 19, 2021—to determine, based on inspection lists provided by JR Tokai, the prospective contractor among the Five Companies and to cooperate so that the prospective contractor could win orders for “specific crossing bridge inspection, etc.”, thereby substantially restricting competition in the transaction field for such services contrary to the public interest. As a result, all departments of the construction consultant registration were suspended.

On September 3, 2026, the company was ordered to have its construction consultant registration suspended for all departments for 30 days (from September 18, 2026 to October 17, 2026), based on findings by the Japan Fair Trade Commission regarding conduct that substantially restricted competition in the market for “specific overpass bridge inspection” services.

On December 19, 2025, the Japan Fair Trade Commission issued a cease-and-desist order and an administrative surcharge payment order, finding that 日本交通技術株式会社 and four other companies and JR Tokai had violated Article 3 of the Antimonopoly Act (prohibition of unreasonable trade restraints). As a result, all departments of the construction consultant registration were suspended for 30 days from September 18, 2026 to October 17, 2026.

On December 19, 2025, the Japan Fair Trade Commission issued a cease-and-desist order and an administrative surcharge payment order, finding that Tonichi Consultant Co., Ltd. and four other companies and JR Tokai engaged in conduct violating Article 3 of the Antimonopoly Act (prohibition of unreasonable trade restraints). As a result, all departments of the company’s construction consultant registration were suspended for 30 days from September 18, 2026 to October 17, 2026.

The registration of Central Engineering Consultants Inc. in the construction consulting registration regulations has been suspended for 60 days from April 14, 2026, to June 12, 2026, due to a criminal case involving a former employee related to bid rigging and information leakage in Miyagi Prefecture.

The former representative director of Meiko Giken Corporation was convicted of bid-rigging and bribery related to a bridge repair project in Haga Town, Yamagata Prefecture, receiving a one-year and six-month prison sentence with a three-year probation. As a result, the company's registration as a construction consultant has been suspended for one year from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024.

The former president of Kitakami Design Consultants Co., Ltd. was convicted of obstructing public procurement through misconduct related to a 2020 bid for road repair design work in Bifuka Town, Hokkaido. As a result, the company’s construction consulting registration was suspended for one year from December 27, 2021, to December 26, 2022.