Apple Japan charged $98 million in additional taxes by Tokyo authorities

Apple Japan is being charged 13 billion yen (about US$98 million) in additional taxes by Tokyo authorities, “apparently” for bulk sales of iPhones and other devices to foreign tourists that were uncorrectly exempted from the consumption tax, according to Nikkei.

The article adds that bulk purchases of iPhones by foreign shoppers was discovered some Apple retail stores. One transaction involved an individual who bought hundreds of smartphones at once.

This is the latest issue involving Apple Japan. Japan’s council on digital market competition discussing ways to ensure fair competition in the mobile operating system market, possibly by enacting new regulations that could affect companies such as Apple and Alphabet’s Google, The Japan Times reported in April.

In Japan, as is the case worldwide, the smartphone operating system market is dominated by Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, leaving users with virtually no choice but to use the U.S. technology giants’ app stores and internet browsers.The council said that the government will consider ways to prohibit acts that could have a negative impact on competition, without being bound by limits under current regulations. Possible regulatory options will include ensuring thorough disclosure of information on operating systems and other rule changes by tech giants, according to The Japan Times.