yardstick regulation; yardstick pricing scheme
A regulatory method where a firm's prices or costs are compared against a benchmark, often used for utilities or natural monopolies. Technical term in economics and public policy.
Electric utility rates are reviewed under a yardstick regulation scheme.
Yardstick regulation was introduced to encourage efficiency among regional monopolies.
From English 'yardstick' + 方式 (method, system). The term was adopted in Japanese economic policy discourse to describe benchmark-based price regulation.