Latest news with #NewOtani
The Star
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Japan fair trade watchdog warns Tokyo hotels over information-sharing as room prices soar
TOKYO: Japan's fair trade watchdog has warned 15 luxury hotels in Tokyo that their sharing of information on occupancy rates and prices could violate anti-monopoly laws. Hotel prices around the country have soared in recent months as record numbers of foreign tourists have flocked to Japan amid labour shortages and stubborn inflation. Major hotel operators in the capital, including the Imperial Hotel and the New Otani, have held monthly meetings, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) said in a statement Thursday (May 8). "They exchanged information on monthly room occupancy rates, average room prices, revenue per room, future bookings and policies for setting future room prices," the statement said. The JFTC said it had "warned the 15 companies not to engage in similar acts" which "could fall under... unreasonable restraint of trade" prohibited by law. Cartels and bid-rigging are among the acts that fall under unreasonable restraint of trade, according to the JFTC. According to Tokyo Shoko Research, the average price per room for 12 non-luxury hotel brands in Japan in October-December 2024 rose to 16,289 yen (US$110), up 17.8 per cent year-on-year. That average price has nearly doubled from 8,171 yen in 2021 during the pandemic. - AFP
Bloomberg
09-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Japan's Top Hotels Under Scrutiny For Potential Price Collusion As Tourism Booms
A group of Japan's top hotels, including Tokyo's historic Imperial Hotel and New Otani, have been sharing rates information in a potential breach of anti-monopoly rules, the country's antitrust watchdog said in a warning. Fifteen major operators were hit with the notice by Japan's Fair Trade Commission on Thursday, saying the companies shared commercially-sensitive information like price-setting policies, revenue per room, and projected occupancy rates. The exchanges may constitute unfair trading, the FTC said, and risk violating rules that cover cartel-like behavior.
CNA
09-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Japan fair trade watchdog warns Tokyo hotels over information-sharing
TOKYO: Japan's fair trade watchdog has warned 15 luxury hotels in Tokyo that their sharing of information on occupancy rates and prices could violate anti-monopoly laws. Hotel prices around the country have soared in recent months as record numbers of foreign tourists have flocked to Japan amid labour shortages and stubborn inflation. Major hotel operators in the capital, including the Imperial Hotel and the New Otani, have held monthly meetings, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) said in a statement Thursday (May 8). "They exchanged information on monthly room occupancy rates, average room prices, revenue per room, future bookings and policies for setting future room prices," the statement said. Other hotel operators warned by the commission include Keio Plaza Hotel, Hotel Okura Tokyo, Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide and Fujita Kanko, The Japan Times reported. The JFTC said it had "warned the 15 companies not to engage in similar acts" which "could fall under ... unreasonable restraint of trade" prohibited by law. Cartels and bid-rigging are among the acts that fall under unreasonable restraint of trade, according to the JFTC. According to Tokyo Shoko Research, the average price per room for 12 non-luxury hotel brands in Japan in October to December 2024 rose to ¥16,289 (US$110), up 17.8 per cent year-on-year.
Japan Times
08-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
15 hotel operators in Tokyo warned over possible price-fixing
The Fair Trade Commission warned 15 luxury hotel operators in Tokyo on Thursday that their practice of exchanging information about room prices and other matters could amount to price-fixing conspiracy that violates the antimonopoly law. The FTC said that it issued the warning to have the hotel operators correct the practice as soon as possible rather than proceeding with its investigation as hotel fees in the capital have risen sharply due to a surge in the number of foreign visitors following the removal of COVID-19 restrictions. The 15 hotel operators include Imperial Hotel, New Otani, Keio Plaza Hotel, Hotel Okura Tokyo, Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide and Fujita Kanko. Officials from the 15 companies had met once a month to exchange information about room occupancy rates, average room prices and room reservations, according to the FTC. The information was shared in a common format so that the degree of fluctuations could be easily understood. The meeting started several years ago and continued until around fall last year. The FTC, alleging that such information exchanges may also be taking place among operators of business hotels, asked the Japan Hotel Association and the All Nippon Hotel Association to ensure that member companies comply with the antimonopoly law.
Japan Times
17-04-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Tokyo hotel operators face possible warnings over suspected price cartel
The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) is considering issuing warnings to 15 hotel operators in Tokyo on suspicion that they violated the antimonopoly act by holding monthly meetings to share internal information, which could potentially have led to the effective operation of a price cartel. The hotel industry has seen soaring room rates, partly due to a surge in inbound foreign tourists, and it is believed that information sharing among hotels may have influenced pricing. Hotel operators that could be issued warnings include New Otani, The Okura Tokyo and Imperial Hotel, Tokyo. Hotel representatives from the 15 companies regularly attended monthly meetings in Tokyo, at which they shared internal business data such as occupancy rates, average room prices and pricing outlooks. While the JFTC's investigation did not confirm explicit cartel behavior — such as coordinated price hikes — it found that some hotels had used information shared by competitors when setting their own room rates. The JFTC concluded that such exchanges could potentially lead to cartel-like price coordination and decided that early corrective action was necessary, prompting the warnings. The JFTC plans to make a final decision based on input from the companies that have been advised they may be issued warnings. The 15 hotel companies have since discontinued the meetings and ceased information sharing, according to Imperial Hotel, Tokyo. 'Although the exchange of information was not done with the intention of unfairly restricting trade, we will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation,' a representative from the operator said. Japan's hotel industry has seen a sharp recovery in demand following the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, the total number of domestic hotel stays reached approximately 650 million, a 9.1% increase from the 2019 figure, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. The combination of rising demand from both inbound tourists and domestic travelers, along with inflation, has driven room rates upward. The 15 hotel operators in Tokyo subject to JFTC warnings are: Kintetsu Miyako Hotels, Grand Nikko Tokyo, Keio Plaza Hotel, Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide, Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, Nishishinjuku Hotel & Resort, Nippon Hotel, New Otani, Palace Hotel, Hankyu-Hanshin-Daichi Hotel Group, Hulic Hotel Management, Fujita Kanko, The Okura Tokyo, Mitsubishi Estate Hotels & Resorts and Imperial Hotel, Tokyo.
