The Japanese government intends to use antitrust law to require major tech players to submit to regular reviews, reported Nikkie. All this as part of an effort to keep them from taking advantage of the smaller companies they do business with, Nikkei has learned.
Currently, while the Japan Fair Trade Commission can conduct reviews of technology companies such as Amazon.com, these are sometimes hindered by such obstacles as nondisclosure agreements with third-party sellers. But Japan’s antimonopoly law lets the watchdog compel companies to cooperate, with financial penalties if they fail to comply or provide false information.
The government plans to use this provision to periodically examine the practices and services of big companies that operate e-commerce websites, app stores, and other platforms. Likely targets include Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon, along with domestic players such as Rakutenand Yahoo Japan.
The move comes amid growing concern in Japan and abroad about potential harm to consumers and the competitive environment if tech giants are allowed to grow unchecked. The European Union has used antitrust law to tighten scrutiny of these companies, and Japan is following suit.
Full Content: Asia Nikkei
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
EU Conducts First-Ever Raids on a Company Under Foreign Subsidies Regulation
Apr 23, 2024 by
CPI
FTC Moves to Ban Non-Compete Agreements, Aiming to Boost Labor Mobility
Apr 23, 2024 by
CPI
Federal Judge Nods at $418M Deal in Real Estate Antitrust Suit
Apr 23, 2024 by
CPI
Mexican Watchdog Probes Amazon and Mercado Libre Over Loyalty Bundles
Apr 23, 2024 by
CPI
Competition Commission of India to Probe AI Landscape for Competition
Apr 23, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI