Japan Orders Google to Stop Anticompetitive App Bundling Practices

Japan’s Fair Trade Commission has issued a cease-and-desist order against Google, accusing the tech giant of violating antitrust laws by pressuring smartphone manufacturers to preinstall its search engine and Chrome browser on Android devices. The ruling marks the watchdog’s first formal action against a member of the so-called GAFA group (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon), as the commission concluded that Google’s practices suppressed fair market competition in Japan.

The investigation revealed that since at least July 2020, Google required six smartphone makers to preinstall its apps—and place them in specific spots on the home screen—as a condition for accessing the Google Play Store. These agreements applied to over 80% of Android devices sold in the country. Google also allegedly struck revenue-sharing deals with four manufacturers and one telecom provider to discourage the preinstallation of rival apps, further limiting market access for competitors like Bing and Yahoo Japan.

Calling the decision “regrettable,” Google denied forcing manufacturers into these deals and said it would carefully review the ruling. However, the company has been ordered to revise its contracts, submit progress reports, and work with third-party oversight for the next five years. The move reflects Japan’s growing alignment with global regulatory efforts—particularly in the EU and U.S.—to crack down on monopolistic behavior and promote greater competition in the tech space.