A senior official working for a major Japanese shipping firm has been given a 15-year prison sentence and a US$20,000 fine for his involvement in fixing prices on truck and car shipments into the US.
The Japan Times has reported that Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and liner CSAV have admitted involvement in the price-rigging scheme. All three companies have been ordered to pay a combined total fine of around $136m.
Corruption appears to be an on-going issue in both the port and shipping industry. A Tanzanian port executive had recently been suspended for violating procurement procedures.