5:59 pm Thu September 26, 2013  Nine Japanese Auto Parts Makers
Plead Guilty To Price Fixing  Originally published on Thu
September 26, 2013 7:19 pm     Most of the people who work in
the auto industry don't work for car companies. Instead, they're
involved with making the parts that go into the cars. It's a
global network that manufactures everything from seatbelts to
radiators. Well, now it's caught up in a widening federal
investigation into price fixing.  NPR's Jim Zarroli reports the
Justice Department said today nine Japanese companies have
pleaded guilty to collusion.  JIM ZARROLI, BYLINE: With these
latest cases, some 20 Japanese companies have pleaded guilty to
price fixing and will pay $1.6 billion in fines. Twenty-one
executives have also been named, most of whom have agreed to
serve jail time.  Scott Hammond, of the Justice Department, says
it's the biggest criminal investigation in the history of the
antitrust division.  SCOTT HAMMOND: The breadth of the
conspiracies that have been brought to lig