The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planner, is probing allegations of monopolistic practices by maritime shipping lines that transport vehicles, Bloomberg reported on Monday.
The investigation involves several companies, but mainly Japan-based Mitsui OSK Lines, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and Nippon Yusen KK, because they control the majority of the Chinese market, according to a source close to the matter who declined to be identified because the investigation has not been made public, the report said.
The NDRC told the Japanese companies to conduct an internal review of their Chinese business and submit the results of the review.
However, the probe does not necessarily mean the companies committed any violations, according to the report.
The company has not received any information related to the matter, a manager from Kawasaki Kisen China told the Global Times on Monday.
Mitsui OSK Lines declined to comment when contacted by the Global Times on Monday and Nippon Yusen KK could not be reached for comment by press time.
China's move follows similar investigations by the European Union in 2013, which involved 14 companies suspected of price collusion.
The Japanese regulators imposed a 13.1 billion yen ($106 million) fine on Nippon Yusen and a 5.7 billion yen fine on Kawasaki Kisen in January 2014, saying that these lines had discussed raising rates simultaneously.
Mitsui OSK closed down 0.5 percent at 394 yen in Tokyo trading on Monday and Kawasaki Kisen ended down 1.8 percent at 269 yen.
Nippon Yusen rose 1.8 percent to 345 yen.
