Japan's antitrust regulator has opened an investigation into whether Google abused its market position to block rival services, as the internet leader's business practices face increased scrutiny around the world. An official from the Japan Fair Trade Commission said the commission had begun investigating allegations that Google may have violated antitrust laws, confirming earlier reports.
The official added that the committee plans to solicit information and input from the public on the matter. According to reports, the committee plans to investigate whether Google improperly requires smartphone manufacturers to prioritize Google's search services on mobile phones.
The move comes after the United States filed an antitrust lawsuit against the global search leader. U.S. federal regulators accuse Google of abusing its dominant position to thwart startups and larger rivals such as Microsoft, a key argument in the biggest tech antitrust case since the case against Microsoft in the 1990s.
High-profile executives, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Apple Inc.'s Eddy Cue, have already testified in the trial, with an outcome not expected until next year. Google CEO Sundar Pichai is expected to testify in the coming weeks.
A Google representative in Japan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.