Hitachi, Toshiba also targeted in optical disc investigation
updated 04:20 pm EDT, Tue October 27, 2009
Hitachi, Toshiba join Sony in anti-trust query
Hitachi and Toshiba's optical drive divisions have also been implicated in a US Department of Justice investigation regarding possible antitrust abuse, according to another Monday WSJ report. As with Sony, not many other details were revealed, and executives at both Hitachi and Toshiba say they will fully cooperate with the investigations. Hitachi's optical drive business is a joint venture with LG, with Hitachi owning 51 percent of the operation, while Toshiba has the same split with Samsung.
An unnamed source familiar with the inquiries says the Justice Department is looking for possible price-fixing, bid-rigging and allocation of markets. Right before these investigations, the Justice Department fined LCD makers nearly $600 million in LCD price fixing schemes.
