Japan competition watchdog issues cease and desist order to Google

FILE PHOTO: People walk next to a Google logo during a trade fair in Hannover Messe, in Hanover, Germany, April 22, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's competition watchdog issued a cease and desist order to Alphabet's Google on Tuesday for anticompetitive practices in the first such action against a U.S. tech giant.

Google made smartphone makers prioritise its services, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) said. The search giant must appoint a third party to monitor and report back to the watchdog.

Google expressed disappointment at the order and said it would work with the JFTC to ensure Android remains a competitive choice.

(Reporting by Ritsuko Shimizu and Sam Nussey; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Kirsten Donovan)