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Japan to launch antitrust probe into Apple, Google’s activities

Jun 14, 2021 (techstory.in) - Tech giants like Apple and Google are frequently finding themselves in sticky situations in many countries, including the EU, China, Russia, and even India these days, owing to their alleged “anti-competitive” practices, as well as their polices which apparently put user security and privacy at risk.

And now, the latest country to join the league of States who are suspicious of the activities of these popular platforms and industry leaders, happens to be Japan, which has just announced that its government will be launching an antitrust probe into their functioning, as allegations of guideline violations continue to mount.

As per the announcement, which was first covered by the Nikkei Asia, the Japanese government will be setting up a special panel within this month, which will be assigned the task of keeping an eye on the alleged “commection” between US tech biggies and domestic smartphone manufactures. As of now, the Apple iOS and the Google Android operating systems are the biggest players in the Japanese smartphone market, making up about 90% of the total. As such, if any suspicious activity on the part of these US companies is reported by the panel, the country’s government might end up tightening its antitrust regulations.

Japan is not the only country that has recently toughened its stance on the functioning of US tech companies, which have frequently been facing rising suspicions among nations over their activities, which many claim are working to hamper healthy competition in the industry, by creating a sort of monopoly, and killing business for smaller companies.

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Japan’s World Cup campaign ended in the cruelest possible fashion on June 29, as Gabriel Martinelli scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over the Samurai Blue in their knockout match in Houston. Japan had led in the first half and were still level at 1-1 in the final moments, but Martinelli’s late strike sent Brazil into the Round of 16 and eliminated Japan from the tournament.

Strong earthquakes have continued to shake parts of Japan in recent weeks, with 11 temblors measuring lower 5 or above on the Japanese seismic intensity scale recorded across the country since April 2026.

A Kintetsu Railway train derailed inside Kyoto Station on the morning of June 29, forcing partial suspensions on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line for the rest of the day and causing long delays that hit commuters, students and tourists.

A section of stone wall at Hikone Castle, one of Japan’s few surviving original Edo-period castles and a National Treasure whose main keep remains intact more than 400 years after its construction, collapsed after heavy rain caused by Typhoons No. 7 and No. 8, Hikone city officials said.

Japan advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup after a 1-1 draw with Sweden on June 25, finishing second in Group F and setting up a Round of 32 clash with Brazil in Houston.

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