Japan to join forces with U.S., Europe in regulating Big Tech firms
20 October, 2020
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 how big is such deals are big enough.
"If how big is any merger or business-tie up is big, we are able to 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 an investigation right into a $2.1 billion deal by Alphabet unit Google's bid to get Fitbit that aimed to defend me against Apple and Samsung in the wearable technology market.
Japan is laying the groundwork to modify platform operators. Included in this 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, making global coordination crucial, Furuya said.
"We'll work closely with our U.S. and European counterparts, and respond if to any moves that hamper competition," he said.
"This is an area I'll push through aggressively," he said, adding the FTC was prepared 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 mobile 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 much.
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 can do on that front," Furuya said.
"By participating in the government's debate on policy issues, we have been reflecting our thinking along the way. This is something our organization must do."
Source: japantoday.com