Air Liquide Japan was appealing to the Fair Trade Commission against the identification of price cartel for air gases and the ordered payment of surcharge. On September 30, the Commission made a hearing decision to turn down the appeal. Air Liquide Japan commented that it is going to present the case to the Tokyo District Court for cancellation of the decision.
　
This case dates back to May 26, 2011, when the Fair Trade Commission issued a cease and desist order imposing the payment of surcharge on the ground that Air Liquide Japan, Taiyo Nippon Sanso, Air Water and Iwatani had formed a price cartel in their sales of air separation gases until January 2008.

Air Liquide Japan appealed to the Commission with its complaint against the order on July 25, 2011, and after the trials at 20 times since the first trial in November 2015, the Commission has decided the rejection at this time.