Abusive plan of AKB 48, suspended due to suspected violation of antitrust law

"AKB48The idol group called 'Invitation to Spring Festival' for users who purchased a single CD was canceled as a possibility of violating the Antimonopoly Act.

Originally I thought that it was something like an "autograph session" where you can sign a writer on the spot when you purchase a book as it is held at a book store, apparently it was a ridiculous plan of unprecedented .

Details are as below.
After all what? AKB 48 "Poster 44 Complete" Canceled - MSN Sankei News

According to the article of Sankei Shimbun, the event that was canceled this time was said to be invited to the "spring celebration" for the user who purchased AKB 48's latest single CD.

The problem is its content, in order to be invited to the "spring celebration", it is necessary for 44 members of all members to collect a poster each time you purchase a CD, and the posters are distributed randomly, and the purchaser She said that she could not choose herself.

This may conflict with the "unfair trade" of the Antimonopoly Act, and it seems that the project itself was finally canceled.

By the way, the probability that you can complete a poster for 44 people just by purchasing 44 CDs is likely to be an astronomical figure, and for users who have already purchased multiple CDs of already single CDs, return and refund of CDs until the end of March We are accepting it.

Although it seems that it will be a good amount even if you bought 44 single CDs, it is unexpected that it can not be completed by itself.