Japan issues final guidelines for app store antitrust law

Apple has voiced concerns over intellectual property protections and safety

20250729N Apple Google

Apple and Google, which dominate the mobile operating system market, are the main targets of Japanese regulations to promote app store competition. © Reuters

TENSEI TANI

TOKYO -- The Japan Fair Trade Commission on Tuesday released final guidelines for legislation barring Google and Apple from blocking rival app stores from their platforms, with only tweaks to the draft text despite objections from the tech giants.

The law enacted last year aims to curb unfair treatment of developers by Apple and Google, which together dominate the mobile operating system market, and prevent them from hindering new application distributors. Apple's iTunes unit is also named in the law.

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