The Study on "the Activity of Corporations having Market Dominant Position and the Role of Law" in the globalizing, information-oriented society

过去三年，我们继续研究反垄断法对具有市场支配地位的公司的适用。为了研究的目的，我们做了一个连续的工作，以了解几个行业，特别是电力行业的市场结构，以及在这种市场结构下的公司的行为。通过这些分析，我们试图通过反托拉斯法和其他产业法（特定部门法）的最佳组合，找到在这些产业中引入有效竞争的最合适的方法。为了实现这一目的，有必要继续研究了解一些国家在这一问题上的情况。至于美国，我们已经从FERC（联邦能源监管委员会），联邦贸易委员会和美国司法部反垄断司进行了听证会，通过这些听证会，我们可以很好地了解这些机构的活动，包括对并购和反消费者行为的观察。对德国而言，我们可以了解其能源法的实施现状和相关法律的修订动向。在日本，我们听取了新近进入该领域的电力企业的意见，也听取了计划在反垄断法中引入市场支配企业的日本收费交易委员会的意见，通过上述研究，我们得出了一些以前不太明显的结论，有助于该学术领域研究的发展。

We have continued the study on application of antitrust law to corporations having market dominant position for last three years. For the purpose of this study, we have made a continuous work to understand the market structures of several industries, especially that of power industry, and the behavior of the corporations under such market structures. Through those analysis, we have tried to find the most suitable way introducing workable competition into those industries by means of the best mix of laws including antitrust law, and other industrial laws(acts for specific sectors).To accomplish this purpose, it was necessary to continue the research for knowing situations on the same issue in some foreign countries. As to U.S.A., we have conducted hearings from FERC(Federal Energy Regulation Commission), Federal Trade Commission and also DOJ Antitrust Division, by which we could know well the activity of those authorities including the observation of M&A and anti-consumer conducts. As to Germany, we could have knowledge about the resent application of Energy Law and a movement to revision of the related laws. As to Japan, we have made some hearings from companies in power industry who entered this field recently and also from Japan Fare Trade Commission which had a plan for revising the antitrust law introducing the new provisions concerning a market dominant corporation.Through the studies mentioned above, we could reach conclusions which were not previously obvious and can contribute the development of the research in this academic field.