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Japan's antimonopoly watchdog accuses Google of violations in smartphones

Published: 15 Apr. 2025, 21:35 Updated: 15 Apr. 2025, 21:52

A woman walks by a giant screen with a logo at an event at the Paris Google Lab on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in Paris on Feb. 9. [AP/YONHAP]

Japanese regulators on Tuesday accused U.S. tech giant Google of violating antimonopoly laws, echoing similar moves in the United States and Europe.

Google Japan said in a statement that it found the claim “regrettable.” It said it has invested in the country significantly to promote innovation as a technology leader.

The Japan Fair Trade Commission’s “cease and desist” order says the company must stop preinstalling the Google search engine in Android smartphones, which it said in effect shuts out competition.

It’s unclear if Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, based in Mountain View in Silicon Valley, will take legal action to fight the order.

In the United States, a judge ruled last year that Google’s ubiquitous search engine illegally exploited its dominance to squash competition. Google has denied the allegations, arguing that it’s immensely popular because people like what it offers. The appeals process is likely to take years.

Japanese regulators began their investigation into Google in 2023. They said they consulted with overseas authorities dealing with similar cases.

European regulators have also slammed what they see as Google’s monopolistic dominance.

Tuesday’s move marks the first time the Japan Fair Trade Commission has taken such action against a major global technology company.

AP