Japan’s Antitrust Regulators Inspect Amazon Japan in Ongoing Investigation

Japan's Fair Trade Commission conducted an on-site inspection of Amazon Japan on Tuesday over suspected violations of anti-monopoly laws, according to a government source. The investigation concerns allegations that Amazon Japan pressured sellers to lower their prices in exchange for better visibility on its platform. The source stated that the company is suspected of forcing sellers to reduce prices in an unreasonable manner, though the official announcement has not yet been made. 

Amazon Japan has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the raid.

Additionally, Amazon may face an EU investigation next year regarding whether it prioritizes its own brand products on its online marketplace, as European antitrust regulators build a case under new regulations. 

This is not the first time Amazon Japan has been under scrutiny; a similar raid occurred in March 2018, when it was accused of requiring suppliers to bear part of the cost for selling discounted products on the platform. Amazon Japan agreed to improve its business practices later that year.

Paraphrasing text from "Reuters" all rights reserved by the original author.