TOKYO, JAPAN: Japan's antitrust watchdog said it has fined and issued a cease-and-desist order to Samsung SDI Co and Panasonic Corp unit MT Picture Display for fixing the prices of displays used in cathode-ray tube TVs.

Japan's Fair Trade Commission said 11 companies including MT Picture Display and Samsung SDI have fixed the lowest price of their cathode-ray tubes, a display used in conventional box TVs, hurting competition.

Fines imposed on five of the 11 companies total 3.3 billion yen ($37 million). The cease-and-desist order was only issued to MT Picture Display and Samsung SDI.

A spokeswoman at Panasonic, which is withdrawing from the cathode-ray tube business to focus on flat TVs, said the company may ask the Fair Trade Commission to re-examine the case, while Samsung SDI declined to make immediate comment.