Japan's antitrust watchdog issues Google 'cease and desist' order over unfair trade practices

An attendee takes a photograph using a Google Pixel 9 smartphone during the CP+ trade show in Yokohama, Japan on February 27, 2025. The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) on Tuesday issued a cease and desist order against Google for unfair trade practices regarding search services on Android devices— a move that aligns with similar crackdowns on firms in the UK and the U.S. In a statement, the Commission said the American tech giant violated Japan's anti-monopoly law by requiring Android device manufacturers to prioritize its own search apps and services through licensing agreements. While Google develops the Android operating system, separate manufacturing companies like Samsung and Lenovo produce handheld Android products, such as smartphones and tablets. Thus, licensing agreements are necessary to grant these manufacturers permission to preinstall Google apps, including its Play Store, onto devices. However, JFTC said Google also used licenses to require manufacturers to preinst ... Read full article.