Japan’s Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) is preparing to conclude that Google has violated the country’s antitrust law in its search services, according to a report by Nikkei Asia. The JFTC is expected to issue a cease-and-desist order instructing the tech giant to halt monopolistic practices. This marks a significant development in Japan’s scrutiny of Google’s market dominance, mirroring similar regulatory actions in other global economies.
The investigation, launched in October last year, focused on potential breaches of Japan’s antimonopoly laws in web search services. Google’s Chrome browser, a core part of the company’s business, has been under particular scrutiny. As the most widely used web browser globally, Chrome enables Google to gather user data crucial for its targeted advertising operations, a major revenue driver.
Google has not yet responded to requests for comment on the JFTC’s findings, and the watchdog itself was unavailable for immediate comment. The anticipated cease-and-desist order aligns Japan’s regulatory stance with ongoing efforts in Europe and the United States to curb Google’s dominance in the search and browser markets.
In a parallel development last month, the U.S. Department of Justice proposed that Alphabet, Google’s parent company, divest its Chrome browser to dismantle what it described as Google’s search monopoly. The DOJ’s argument extends to a prohibition on Google re-entering the browser market for five years.
These regulatory moves reflect growing global concerns about the concentration of power among tech giants and their influence on competition and consumer choice.
Author’s Opinion
Japan’s move against Google highlights a broader global reckoning with Big Tech’s dominance in key digital markets. While competition authorities worldwide are ramping up efforts to curb monopolistic practices, the question remains whether these actions can effectively level the playing field. For users, the outcomes could shape the future of digital innovation and privacy, but the road to meaningful change will likely require sustained enforcement and cooperation across borders.
