On May 30, the Japan Fair Trade Commission issued an exclusion order to four major travel companies, JTB, Tobu Top Tours, Nippon Travel Agency Tohoku, and Meitetsu Tourist Service, for violating the Antimonopoly Act in the bidding for the COVID-19 patient transport service ordered by Aomori City in fiscal 2022. This is the first administrative action by the Japan Fair Trade Commission in a COVID-19-related business, and it is a request to prevent recurrence. The four companies were travel agencies with know-how in reservation management and customer service who applied for the COVID-19 patient transport service carried out by Aomori City in five separate sessions in fiscal 2022. Kinki Nippon Tourist won all the bids, but the bid amounts were adjusted between the companies. Kinki Nippon Tourist had subcontracted part of the business to each company. Each company was inspected by the Japan Fair Trade Commission in November 2011 due to suspicion of collusion. Kinki Nippon Tourist voluntarily reported before the investigation began based on the surcharge reduction system, so no disciplinary action was taken this time. There was no order to pay a surcharge. In response to this incident, each company has announced measures to prevent recurrence.