TRADE

Japan May File Charges in Bid-Rigging Cases: Japan’s anti-monopoly watchdog is poised to file rare criminal charges against nine electronics firms and their executives, alleging bid-rigging going back as far as January, Japanese media said. The Fair Trade Commission has been investigating suspicions that the firms, which include industry leaders, repeatedly rigged bids and arranged in advance the winners of contracts for water supply and sewage systems for regional governments. A commission spokesman declined to comment on the reports. The five largest firms allegedly involved are Toshiba, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, Fuji Electric and Meidensha.