Kodak to Sell Film at Half Its Current Price in Japan

TOKYO —  America’s leading maker of photographic film, which is embroiled in a bitter dispute with its Japanese counterpart, will sell film in Japan at about half its current price, the local subsidiary of Eastman Kodak Co. said Wednesday.

Starting next month, three kinds of Kodak film will be sold through the major wholesale chain Nihon Ryutsu Sangyo Co., known as Nichiryu, at about 800 sales outlets in Japan.

Rochester, N.Y.-based Kodak has filed a complaint with the U.S. government, demanding that Washington investigate Fuji Photo Film Co. for allegedly anti-competitive practices, a process that could lead to sanctions.

Fuji vehemently denies accusations that it tightly controls film distribution through price controls and pressure on retailers and wholesalers.

Each company holds about 70% of its home market and about 10% of the other’s market, although the exact figures are in dispute.

Kodak hopes to sell $10 million of the film, which will carry both the Nichiryu and Kodak names on its packaging, in the first year. Kodak did not say how much of its sales will be accounted for by the film.

A two-roll pack of 24-exposure ASA400 film will be priced at about $6, and a three-roll pack of 24-exposure ASA100 film will be about $7.70, a spokesperson said.

Kodak already has sales deals with Japanese chains Seiyu and Family Mart.