Government organizations around the world accuse Google of monopoly. The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) will reportedly declare that Google is violating the country's antitrust laws with respect to its Chrome search engine and issue a cease-and-desist letter. Nikkei Asia reported. Last October, the watchdog launched an investigation into Google's actions.
The JFTC is reportedly accusing Google of requiring smartphone makers to sign a contract stating that Chrome will not only be pre-loaded on all devices, but will also be placed in a specific location on the screen. Manufacturers are allegedly forced to do this in order for Google Play to be available on their devices.
In the US, federal judge Amit Mehta ruled in November that Google “has a monopoly” in the search engine industry. The Department of Justice (DoJ) then called Google will sell Chrome as it would “permanently end Google's control of this important search access point and allow rival search engines to gain access to a browser that for many users is the gateway to the Internet.” The Justice Department also called on Google to stop favoring Chrome on Android. Google recently published a proposal to appease the Justice Department, but said it would appeal the judge's decision before a hearing scheduled for April.