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Japan plans to fine Apple over app stores and force sideloading

An Apple Store in Japan

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Japan is preparing regulations that will force Apple and Google to allow alternative App Stores, and impose fines on both for antitrust issues regarding OS market share and preferential search results.

The planned laws follow Japan's previous moves to require Apple to allow third-party app stores — and Apple's attempts to argue against the plan.

According to Nikkei Asia, if proposed regulations are passed by the country's parliament in 2024, the Japanese Fair Trade Commission (FTC) will be allowed to fine firms up to 6% of revenue earned from activities contravening the laws.

No further details regarding App Stores have been decided yet. There is little further information about the rest of the FTC's focusing on browsers, search, and also operating systems.

However, the intention behind focusing on search is to prevent firms such as Apple or Google giving preferential treatment to their own services or products.

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While not confirmed, it's likely that the new regulations will also cover the Japanese government's concerns about gathering taxes from developers. In November 2023, it was reported that since it has been difficult to tax app developers based outside Japan, the government was considering taxing Apple and Google directly.

Assuming parliament passes the laws, it will then be the Japanese government that determines which firms any or all of its legislation will apply to. Nikkei Asia says it's the laws are expected to be applied to multinational firms, and not to Japanese ones.

Apple has not commented on this latest move by Japan.



48 Comments

9secondkox2 9 Years · 3245 comments

The EU disease is infecting the planet. 

When Sony is forced to allow Apple and nintendo and microsoft to have their App Stores on PlayStation and tv sets, then we can talk.  

Such nonsense. 

11 Likes · 0 Dislikes
tht 24 Years · 5749 comments

The EU disease is infecting the planet. 
When Sony is forced to allow Apple and nintendo and microsoft to have their App Stores on PlayStation and tv sets, then we can talk.  

Such nonsense. 

HehNikkei Asia

 says it's the laws are expected to be applied to multinational firms, and not to Japanese ones.

Sounds like you won’t be talking to them for a very long while, just like with how all these new EU laws just happen to exclude all EU companies. 


You know, 16 years ago, when everyone and their brother knew that Symbian needed to be rearchitected for the world that the iPhone introduced, the EU did squat? I honestly don’t remember. Everyone saw it coming. It was all-hands on deck for all competitors. It was not a time for the status quo of working. It was definitely hair on fire time. 

Nokia and company put together something like a 4 year plan to get Symbian^5 out the door, when it needed to be 1 year, 2 years at most. The EU should have put in time and money to get Symbian to be competitive. Instead, Nokia’s old platform was left to burn at sea, and they decided to let Microsoft buy and kill them. Infineon wasn’t subsidized so that they could continue developing cellular modems, and they let Intel buy them. 

Nokia, Ericsson and Siemens had about 50% market share in mobile phones! It’s near zero now. 

Similar story with Japanese companies. Have to go re-read the business axioms on why incumbents can’t change even though they see the cliff coming. 

7 Likes · 0 Dislikes
appleinsideruser 6 Years · 697 comments

As Apple have “strapped on a pair” regarding toughing it out with Apple Watch, perhaps they’ll do the same here? I double-dare them! 😂

3 Likes · 0 Dislikes
rob53 14 Years · 3333 comments

The Japanese economy is suffering because of the introduction of EVs, none of which are regularly coming from Japan. I see Japan's demand for opening Apple's App Store (Google really has multiple stores but none used as much as Apple's) as a way to try and grab money. Maybe the USA needs to remind the Japanese who rebuilt Japan after WWII. I know the USA destroyed Japan but Japan didn't need to attack Hawaii and attempt to attack mainland USA. I'm also reminding the European countries who received, and continue to receive, lots of money from the USA. Maybe it's time to stop biting the hand that feeds you.

3 Likes · 0 Dislikes
danox 12 Years · 3540 comments

tht said:
The EU disease is infecting the planet. 
When Sony is forced to allow Apple and nintendo and microsoft to have their App Stores on PlayStation and tv sets, then we can talk.  

Such nonsense. 
HehNikkei Asia says it's the laws are expected to be applied to multinational firms, and not to Japanese ones.

Sounds like you won’t be talking to them for a very long while, just like with how all these new EU laws just happen to exclude all EU companies. 
You know, 16 years ago, when everyone and their brother knew that Symbian needed to be rearchitected for the world that the iPhone introduced, the EU did squat? I honestly don’t remember. Everyone saw it coming. It was all-hands on deck for all competitors. It was not a time for the status quo of working. It was definitely hair on fire time. 

Nokia and company put together something like a 4 year plan to get Symbian^5 out the door, when it needed to be 1 year, 2 years at most. The EU should have put in time and money to get Symbian to be competitive. Instead, Nokia’s old platform was left to burn at sea, and they decided to let Microsoft buy and kill them. Infineon wasn’t subsidized so that they could continue developing cellular modems, and they let Intel buy them. 

Nokia, Ericsson and Siemens had about 50% market share in mobile phones! It’s near zero now. 

Similar story with Japanese companies. Have to go re-read the business axioms on why incumbents can’t change even though they see the cliff coming. 

No one Microsoft, Nokia, Sony Ericson, Blackberry or Palm believed at the time (2007) that Apple had a chance against them, however no one believes that anymore not even the usually clueless politicians.......

2 Likes · 0 Dislikes