21.  German companies long denied responsibility for using slave labor, arguing they had been pressured by the Nazis.

22.  Japanese companies long have favored males for jobs with advancement opportunities, saying women tend to leave to start families.

23.  Japanese companies long have been known for granting promotions and pay raises by seniority, rather than on the basis of individual employee performance.

24.  The company long has claimed that huge debts from customers prevent it from meeting its tax obligations.

25.  The company long had a virtual monopoly on local phone services.

26.  The suit was the first filed against Seita, the company long known for its cigarettes made of dark tobacco.