Japan Watchdog Says Google Hurt Local Rival’s Ability to Compete
- FTC slaps its first administrative act against search leader
- Alphabet faces growing pressure from antitrust enforcers
Advertisement for the Google smartphone in Tokyo.
Photographer: Toru Hanai/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Japanese antitrust regulator said Alphabet Inc.’s Google used tactics that limited Yahoo Japan’s ability to compete in targeted search ads, and it promised to keep monitoring the US firm.
From 2015 to 2022, Alphabet blocked Yahoo Japan from accessing technology needed to receive targeted ad revenue from searches on mobile devices, Japan’s Fair Trade Commission said. Alphabet changed its conduct as soon as the watchdog flagged the practice and has promised to give Yahoo Japan access to keyword-tied targeted ad tech, the FTC said Monday.