Japan’s Fair Trade Commission conducted a raid on Amazon, citing antitrust law concerns. “There is a suspicion that Amazon Japan is forcing sellers to reduce prices unreasonably,” an anonymous source told Reuters.
Amazon Japan today underwent an on-site inspection by regulators to investigate whether the retailer is giving sellers who offer lower prices better rankings of products in search results. Additional reporting in the Japan Times suggested that the investigation focused on Amazon’s Buy Box program, which puts recommended products more prominently in front of online shoppers. According to the publication, to qualify for Buy Box listings, sellers are required to use Amazon’s internal services, such as logistics and payment collection, in addition to requesting “competitive pricing.” It is said that he was killed.
Japan’s FTC has not issued an official statement regarding this investigation. Regarding this situation, Amazon Japan said in a comment to Engadget that it is “fully cooperating with the authorities.”
Amazon has also been questioned around the world for anti-competitive practices. In the United States, both the Japan Fair Trade Commission and the Attorney General in Washington, D.C., have expressed similar concerns about Amazon’s practices. The company is also expected to face antitrust investigation in the European Union next year.
Updated, November 26, 2024, 6:17 PM ET: Updated with comment from Amazon Japan.
