Japan's METI steps up oversight of digital platforms ahead of new smartphone law

By Sachiko Sakamaki ( July 11, 2025, 06:03 GMT | Insight) -- Japan's industry ministry is intensifying its supervision of the relationship of large platform operators with smaller Japanese businesses to ensure fairness and transparency. The move comes four years after the Japanese version of the platform-to-business law took effect. Regulating major platforms in the e-commerce, app-store and digital-advertising sectors, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has gained valuable experience from its engagements with both US and domestic operators. METI is now preparing to transfer the supervision of dominant app-store operators — Apple and Google — to the antitrust watchdog when new digital legislation, modeled after the EU’s Digital Markets Act, comes into effect at the end of the year. Japan's industry ministry is intensifying its supervision of the relationship of large platform operators with smaller Japanese businesses to ensure fairness and transparency. The move comes four years after the Japanese version of the platform-to-business law took effect....