Japan has unveiled comprehensive new guidelines aimed at regulating Apple Inc. and Google LLC’s dominance in the smartphone app market, with implementation set for December 18, 2025. The regulations, stemming from legislation passed in 2024, introduce multiple measures to promote competition and prevent monopolistic practices in a market that has seen increasing scrutiny worldwide, following similar initiatives in the United Kingdom and European Union.
The guidelines prohibit Apple and Google from discriminating against competing app stores or giving preferential treatment to their own platforms. App developers must be granted access to essential operating system functions, including voice calls and biometric authentication capabilities that were previously restricted. The change marks a significant shift, particularly for iOS developers who have historically faced limitations in accessing Apple’s authentication frameworks.
Under the new framework, the tech giants are forbidden from using operating system data to develop competing products. The regulations also mandate that companies allow third-party payment systems within apps and enable customers to choose from multiple search engines when setting up new devices. The changes support Japan’s rapid advancement of its digital identity infrastructure, including the recent integration of its My Number Card system with Apple Wallet.
The Japanese government has detailed 100 specific examples of prohibited practices to provide clarity on enforcement. The regulations affect all smartphone platforms using Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems within Japan, which together control over 90 percent of the country’s smartphone operating system market. The initiative is part of Japan’s broader push toward digital transformation, including the expansion of biometric payment systems and enhanced digital authentication methods.
“The guidelines could undermine privacy and security while forcing the company to provide technology and services to competitors without charge,” said Apple in a statement. The company’s position reflects ongoing global debates about balancing platform security with market competition, particularly relevant as Japan strengthens its digital identity and authentication frameworks.
The guidelines were finalized following a public consultation period from May to June 2025. Japan’s domestic app market reached approximately 2.4 trillion yen ($16.2 billion) in 2024, based on in-app purchases alone, highlighting the significant economic impact of these regulatory changes on the mobile technology landscape.
Sources: MarketScreener, Mainichi, Jiji Press, The Japan Times
