Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06OSAKAKOBE588, BID RIGGING IN JAPAN: A FEATURE, NOT A BUG

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06OSAKAKOBE588.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06OSAKAKOBE588 2006-10-16 10:40 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Osaka Kobe
VZCZCXRO0104
OO RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHOK #0588/01 2891040
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161040Z OCT 06
FM AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0563
INFO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 7744
RUEHFSI/DIR FSINFATC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DOJ WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 0151
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA PRIORITY 2256
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 0139
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 0161
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0395
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1085
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0015
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0020
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 OSAKA KOBE 000588 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR E, EB, EAP/J 
STATE PASS USTR FOR AUSTR CUTLER AND MBEEMAN 
STATE PASS FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION FOR GENERAL 
COUNSEL BLUMENTHAL 
FTC ALSO FOR INTL ANTITRUST - TRITELL/SHANAHAN 
JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION 
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR TONG 
USDOC FOR ITA/OFFICE OF JAPAN MELCHER 
NFATC FOR LISA FOX AND BARRY BLENNER 
PARIS FOR USOECD 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD ECON EINV ELAB JA
SUBJECT: BID RIGGING IN JAPAN: A FEATURE, NOT A BUG 
 
 
1. (SBU) Bid rigging (dango in Japanese) is a common 
form of corruption in Japan, in which firms restrict 
open competition by coordinating their bids on 
procurement or public contracts.  Although not unique 
to the Kansai area surrounding Osaka in western Japan, 
recently one example of bid rigging came to light in 
Osaka's southern neighbor of Wakayama that shines light 
on the practice as a whole. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
2. (SBU) On October 13, the Osaka District Public 
Prosecutor's Office arrested Wakayama Prefecture 
Treasurer Satoaki Mizutani and 4 others in conjunction 
with its expanding probe of alleged bid rigging in four 
public works projects ordered by the Wakayama 
Prefectural Government in 2004.  The investigation also 
targets current and former executives of the Obayashi 
Corporation, a major Osaka-based construction company. 
An Osakan golf course owner close to Governor Yoshiki 
Kimura is suspected of taking 60 million yen (over USD 
500,000) from the successful bidders for advance 
details of the projects.  Although Obayashi did not 
participate in the bidding, Osaka authorities suspect 
that the conglomerate was exerting control over the 
amount offered by bidders. 
 
------------------------- 
BID RIGGING: A CASE STUDY 
------------------------- 
 
3. (SBU) More interesting than the particulars of the 
unfolding criminal case is the glimpse the case offers 
into the rationale for the deeply ingrained system of 
rigging bids in Japan -- a practice that shows no signs 
of abating any time soon. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
OBAYASHI: GODFATHER OF BID RIGGING IN THE KANSAI 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
4. (SBU) Osaka media interlocutors tell us that former 
Obayashi Managing Director Sakae Hirajima personally 
selected bid winners and controlled bid prices for 
thirty years starting in the 1960s.  Known as the 
Godfather of construction companies in the Kansai, 
prospective bidders reportedly had to supplicate 
themselves to him in order to clinch deals on all 
public projects.  Hirajima left Obayashi after a large 
corruption scandal and disclosed details of his firm's 
bid rigging practices to the Japan Fair Trade 
Commission (JFTC) in 1997. 
 
5. (SBU) Predictably, although the JFTC subsequently 
clamped down, a less direct system for rigging bids 
soon filled the vacuum left by Hirajima's departure. 
In the current system, a number of major construction 
companies, many of which are based in Osaka, take turns 
at dictating bid conditions.  In Obayashi, reportedly 
there is now a team of executives in charge of bid 
rigging divided to two groups: one for road and tunnel 
projects, the other specializing in buildings. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
FROM BID RIGGING TO "BID DUMPING" IN PUBLIC WORKS 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
OSAKA KOBE 00000588  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
6. (SBU) While detected bid rigging cases have declined 
since 1997, so has the Japanese economy as a whole. 
But Toshikazu Ito (please protect), a Technical 
Coordinator of the Kinki Regional Development Bureau, 
Ministry of Land and Infrastructure (MLIT) reported to 
econoff that what MLIT saw through December 2005 was a 
shift from artificially high bids to bids up to three 
percent less than the official estimated cost Q- a 
trend in which firms are under-bidding to win 
contracts. 
 
7. (SBU) Furthermore, this "bid dumping" became much 
more pronounced in the Kansai starting this year, with 
bids as low as 60 Q 70 percent of the government's 
designated maximum price.  The MLIT official felt that 
in his opinion, firms cannot maintain adequate safety 
levels at those prices.  According to Ito, MLIT is 
increasing its safety screening as a result. 
 
8. (SBU) Major construction companies can offer such 
low prices because they have the economic clout to 
offer their subcontractorsless money for their portion 
of the overall contract without reducing the amount of 
work the subcontractors have to do -- and while they 
maintain adequate profit levels, the small-scale 
construction companies downstream must cope with a 
profit squeeze.  Subcontractors are faced with making 
hard choices about safety and their own economic 
viability, according to Ito.  However, MLIT's analysis 
omits the value of increased competition in lowering 
the cost of competitive bids and improving the terms 
offered by firms, something the USG has tried to 
impress upon economic bureaucrats in Japan. 
 
------------------------------------- 
CAN BID RIGGING BE REFORMED IN JAPAN? 
------------------------------------- 
 
9. (SBU) Ito said that although it is not an optimal 
situation, there are still too many small construction 
firms that will go bankrupt without the handout of a 
subcontracting job from a conglomerate like Obayashi. 
Since the Japanese labor market has low liquidity, the 
GOJ is reluctant to push a large segment of low-skilled 
laborers into the unemployment rolls, hampering the 
GOJ's ability to end the system of bid rigging and bid 
dumping. 
 
10. (SBU) As in other industries, for the Japanese 
government underemployment is preferable to 
unemployment.  However, given the storm in the Diet 
last November over subcontracting architect Hidetsugu 
Aneha's falsification of mandatory structural strength 
analyses for hotels and condominiums (essentially 
caused by the same dynamic of bid dumping by a general 
contractor), it is surprising that the GOJ has not 
recognized that putting the public's safety at risk is 
potentially much more costly in human lives and in yen 
than increasing its unemployment figures. 
 
11. (SBU) Manabu Nojima (please protect), a manager at 
the Kansai Economic Federation only half-jokingly 
opined that the Japanese economy is based less on 
capitalism than market socialism.  Many in the business 
community in Osaka, especially large construction 
companies, do not think that bid rigging is bad 
behavior.  Instead, they argue that due to its 
 
OSAKA KOBE 00000588  003 OF 003 
 
 
employment of tottering family operations and 
underemployable elements of the labor force, bid 
rigging serves as a form of social security in Japan. 
Small construction companies serve to sponge up excess 
unemployment during economic downturns, and release it 
during periods of expansion.  He added that it would be 
difficult to change irregularities over bidding without 
changing these attitudes first. 
 
RUSSEL