Last spring, an employee at a road maintenance company smelled a rat as his firm prepared to bid for an expressway-related project by the semi-governmental Japan Highway Public Corp.
The company succeeded in winning the facility maintenance contract, but the employee claimed the bid was essentially rigged by his firm and Japan Highway.
Officials from Japan Highway and the company went through a series of consultations, agreeing on the bid price in advance without any serious cost estimation, claimed an employee, who requested anonymity to protect his position.