The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) is set to issue a cease-and-desist order against Google, accusing the company of violating antimonopoly laws by forcing smartphone manufacturers to preinstall its search app in exchange for access to the Google Play store. This would be the first such order against a member of the “GAFA” group—Google, Apple, Facebook (Meta), and Amazon—in Japan.
The JFTC claims Google required manufacturers to sign contracts ensuring the Google search app was preinstalled and placed in a specific location on devices. Google is also accused of offering financial incentives to avoid preinstalling competing search engines.
The investigation, which began in October 2023, alleges that Google’s actions, starting in 2020, have unfairly restricted competition in Japan. If the order is issued, Google will be required to dissolve its contracts and prevent similar practices in the future.
Google currently holds an 81% share of mobile search traffic in Japan, far surpassing its nearest competitor, Yahoo, at 11.8%. This move follows increasing global scrutiny of antitrust violations by major tech companies.
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