Japan’s antitrust watchdog has announced guidelines under a new law to regulate monopolistic practices in the smartphone app market, mainly targeting U.S. tech giants Apple and Google, reports Japan Today.
The core of the guidelines issued by the Japan Fair Trade Commission is a ban on discriminatory treatment of app stores not operated by the two companies, the article adds. If more app stores compete and lower the commissions they charge developers, app prices for users could also fall, analysts told Japan Today.
Apple and Google account for over 90% of Japan’s smartphone operating system market. Currently, app purchases and usage fee payments are effectively limited to the official stores of the two firms, restricting competition in the industry, per Japan Today.
The FTC’s law is tentatively scheduled for full enforcement on December 18, 2025. They are all part of Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act, and a summary document shows that the new law says Apple and Google must:
- Allow third-party app stores
- Allow alternative payment
- Not favor their own apps or services
- Allow users to choose their default apps
- Enable users to freely move between apps and platforms
- Allow developers to utilize the same OS functions as Apple and Google.
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