Japan regulator orders Google to stop anticompetitive practices
Summary
Japan’s antitrust regulator instructed Alphabet’s Google to stop what it said are anticompetitive practices involving mobile search services, its first order against a U.S. technology giant.
Japan’s antitrust regulator instructed Alphabet’s Google to stop what it said are anticompetitive practices involving mobile search services, its first order against a U.S. technology giant.
The Japan Fair Trade Commission said Tuesday that Google had been preventing some smartphone makers and a mobile-services provider from making search functions offered by others readily available on Android phones since July 2020.
Google said it is disappointed by the commission’s findings, as it believes its agreements with Japanese partners help promote competition and have boosted their ability to invest in product innovations, leading to more choices for consumers.
The U.S. tech giant said it will review the order thoroughly to determine its next steps.
Japan’s FTC said Google required certain smartphone manufacturers to preinstall its search engine and browser on the default home screen. The commission also said Google required some smartphone makers and a mobile-services provider to use its search services as a condition for sharing a portion of the revenue generated by Google’s search advertisements.
The regulator ordered Google to appoint an independent third party to monitor the implementation of measures instructed. The independent party will report annually to the commission on the status for five years, it said.
Write to Kosaku Narioka at kosaku.narioka@wsj.com
