15/01/2026
Join us for our upcoming event on 30 Jan: HKU Competition Law Lecture Series: Regulation of the Digital Markets in Japan with Professor Masako Wakui, professor at the Graduate School of Law, Kyoto University at HKU Law.
Deatils & registration: https://aiifl.law.hku.hk/events/upcoming-events/
This lecture explores the evolving landscape of competition law and policy in Japan, with a focus on recent developments that highlight both the strengths and limitations of the current legal framework. Central to the discussion is the recent Antimonopoly Act (AMA) violation case involving Google’s Android, which raises critical questions about platform dominance, market power, and significance of default setting. Complementing this case study is an examination of the newly enacted Smartphone Act, designed to reinforce and supplement the AMA by addressing structural issues in digital markets and ensuring fairer competition among app stores and mobile service providers. Beyond these specific legal measures, the lecture will consider broader themes: what competition law in Japan can realistically achieve in regulating complex, fast-moving digital markets, and where its boundaries lie.