Japan to become listed on forces with U.S., Europe in regulating Big Tech firms
Japan will get together with America and Europe to defend me against any market abuses by the four Big Tech companies, the brand new head of its antitrust watchdog said on Monday, an indicator Tokyo will join global efforts to modify digital platform operators.
Kazuyuki Furuya, chairman of Japan's Fair Trade Commission (FTC), also said Tokyo could open a probe into any merger or business tie-up involving fitness tracker maker Fitbit if the size of such deals are big enough.
"If the size of any merger or business-tie up is big, we can launch an anti-monopoly investigation into the buyer's procedure for acquiring a start-up (like Fitbit)," he told Reuters. "We're closely watching developments including in Europe."
EU antitrust regulators in August launched a study right into a $2.1 billion deal by Alphabet unit Google's bid to buy Fitbit that aimed to take on Apple and Samsung in the wearable technology market.
Japan is laying the groundwork to regulate platform operators. Among them are big tech giants dubbed "GAFA" - Google, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook - that face various antitrust probes in western nations.
Multi-national companies like GAFA have similar business practices around the world, which makes global coordination crucial, Furuya said.
"We'll work closely with this U.S. and European counterparts, and respond if to any moves that hamper competition," he said.
"This is a location I'll push through aggressively," he said, adding the FTC was ready to open probes if digital platformers abuse their dominant market positions against consumers.
Furuya, who assumed the post in September, also said the FTC would conduct research into Japan's cellular phone market to see whether there is any room for improvement to spur competition.
Such a move would help Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's push to slash Japan's cellular phone charges, which he has repeatedly criticized as too high.
Furuya countered the view that helping the federal government meet its policy priorities could undermine the FTC's position as a body mandated to do something independently from political meddling.
"If there's an insurance plan priority for the federal government, there is no doubt the FTC should consider what it could do on that front," Furuya said.
"By taking part in the government's debate on policy issues, we've been reflecting our thinking in the process. This is something our organization should do."
Source: japantoday.com
