SYDNEY, July 18 (Reuters) - Australia's competition watchdog said on Monday that Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha pleaded guilty to criminal cartel conduct in Australia's federal court.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said in a statement that the company pleaded guilty after the ACCC brought charges.

"This is the first criminal charge laid against a corporation under the criminal cartel provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act," ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said in the statement.

"This matter relates to alleged cartel conduct in connection with the transportation of vehicles, including cars, trucks, and buses, to Australia between July 2009 and September 2012."

Nippon Yusen is a transportation conglomerate, with headquarters in Tokyo.

The matter is next scheduled for a directions hearing in the Federal Court on 12 September 2016.

(Reporting by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Michael Perry)