Japan to order Google to make changes to its search app on Android smartphones

The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) is set to find out Google in violation of the country’s antitrust contract laws that require smartphone makers to pre-install their search apps, marking the first such order against a U.S. tech giant by Japan’s watchdog.
According to Reuters, the competition authority will issue a cease and desist order against Google, demanding that the company put an end to its practices deemed monopolistic in the Internet search market.
The JFTC investigation found that Google entered into agreements with Android smartphone makers, conditioning their access to app stores on the mandatory installation of Google Search and Chrome browser apps on the devices’ home screens. .
The expected ruling follows similar antitrust actions against Google in other major markets. Last month, the US Department of Justice argued in court that Google should be forced to divest its Chrome browser business and be barred from re-entering the browser market for five years in order to end its search monopoly.
The Japanese watchdog has already informed Google of its proposed action and will finalize its decision after hearing the company’s response. Chrome, as the world’s most used web browser, plays a crucial role in Google’s business model by providing valuable user data that improves the company’s ad targeting capabilities.
Google has not yet responded to requests for comment on the JFTC’s upcoming order, which aligns Japan with Western regulators in taking a tougher stance against the tech giant’s market dominance.