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Two Japanese Auto Parts Execs Indicted for Price Fixing

A federal grand jury in Detroit has indicted two Japanese executives on charges of conspiring to obstruct a continuing U.S. investigation into price fixing among auto suppliers.
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A federal grand jury in Detroit has indicted two Japanese executives on charges of conspiring to obstruct a continuing U.S. investigation into price fixing among auto suppliers.

It’s the second indictment for Futoshi Higashida, a retired executive with Nishikawa Rubber Co. He also was accused last October of rigging bids for sealing products sold to carmakers in the U.S. and elsewhere. The Detroit grand jury also charges Higashida with attempted obstruction of justice.

The second executive is Mikio Katsumaru, also a Nishikawa executive. He formerly was president of the company’s joint venture with Cooper-Standard Automotive.

The U.S. Dept. of Justice says the two men conspired with others between 2008 and 2012 to destroy documents and delete electronic records and email indicating their communication with competitors.

The Justice Dept. has charged 65 individuals and 47 companies to date in its antitrust probe of the auto supply industry.

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