Japan tells Google to stop Android search dominance
Japan joins the US and Europe in targeting Google’s market power.
Japanese regulators have accused Google of breaching the country’s anti-monopoly laws by restricting competition through the pre-installation of its search engine on Android smartphones.
The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) issued a cease and desist order on Tuesday, directing the US tech giant to halt the practice.
Google Japan called the move ‘regrettable’ and emphasised its long-standing investment in Japan to support innovation. The company has not yet indicated whether it will appeal the ruling.
The JFTC’s investigation began in 2023, with input from overseas regulators handling similar concerns in the United States and Europe.
This marks the first time the JFTC has taken such action against a major global technology firm. It follows global scrutiny of Google’s dominance, including a US court ruling last year that found Google had unfairly used its market power to suppress rivals.
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