Microsoft ‘cooperating’ with Japanese antitrust probe
(2026/02/26)
- Reference: 1772080065
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2026/02/26/microsoft_japan_cloud_monopoly_investigation/
- Source link:
Microsoft ‘cooperating’ with Japanese antitrust probe Looks like the same cloudy software licenses that offend Europe may be in play Microsoft is “fully cooperating” with a probe by Japan’s Fair Trade Commission, which wants to know if the software giant has violated the nation’s anti-monopoly laws.
News of the probe broke yesterday in Japanese outlet Nikkei, which [1]reported a raid on Microsoft’s Japanese office.
The Register asked Microsoft to comment on the matter, and a spokesperson told us “We are fully cooperating with the JFTC in their requests."
[2]
According to Nikkei, those requests relate to the way Microsoft licenses its software to run on clouds other than its own Azure service.
[3]
[4]
In other parts of the world, Microsoft has offered deep discounts for its own software – especially Windows Server and SQL Server – when users deploy it on Azure but effectively charges more to run it in rivals’ clouds.
Those practices earned the company critical attention from regulators in the [5]UK , [6]Europe , and [7]the USA .
[8]
Microsoft changed its ways in Europe, but not enough for Google which continues to press for [9]further changes . The matter remains unresolved in the UK and USA. Whether that’s due to regulators moving slowly, or Microsoft making persuasive arguments that put it in the clear, is uncertain.
[10]Microsoft makes Windows Server 2022 licenses a little less cynical
[11]Through gritted teeth, Apple and Google allow alternative app stores in Japan
[12]Japan loses another H3 launcher, plus the satnav bird it carried
[13]Microsoft gives Windows laggards the 'gift of time' wrapped in licensing fees
Japan’s Fair Trade Commission has form going after Big Tech companies, recently following other nations by [14]requiring Apple and Google to open their app stores to third parties, and also [15]tackling Google for forcing makers of Android handsets to include its apps.
Japanese regulators last year also [16]expressed displeasure when OpenAI’s Sora2 video generator ripped off local anime production hero Studio Ghibli.
Japan’s initiatives have not matched the European Union’s strong regulation of social media and e-commerce companies, which the Trump administration has painted as an unfair trade practice. ®
Bootnote
Japan’s Fair Trade Commission has a cute mascot called “Dokkin” and the agency [17]says it uses a “Dokkin Scope” to find violations of the Antimonopoly Act. When Dokkin succeeds, its heart lights up.
[18]
"Dokkin" - the mascot of the Japan Fair Trade Commission - Click to enlarge
The Register : Bringing you cultural context that matters.
Get our [19]Tech Resources
[1] https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/japan-antitrust-watchdog-raids-microsoft-over-cloud-services-concerns
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aZ_TdAAQanmuuJtwtrJgkQAAAY0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aZ_TdAAQanmuuJtwtrJgkQAAAY0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aZ_TdAAQanmuuJtwtrJgkQAAAY0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/07/uk_cma_early_findings_microsoft_cloud_choice/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/10/microsoft_avoids_antitrust_probe/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/28/microsoft_us_antitrust_probe_reports/
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aZ_TdAAQanmuuJtwtrJgkQAAAY0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/25/google_microsoft_cloud_complaint/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/04/26/windows_server_license_changes/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/22/asia_tech_news_roundup/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/23/jaxa_h3_failure_inquiry/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/24/microsoft_windows_support/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/15/japan_app_store_monopolies/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/16/japan_google_monopoly_ruling/
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/15/japan_openai_copyrighted_anime/
[17] https://www.jftc.go.jp/houdou/kohokatsudo_3/index/profile.html
[18] https://regmedia.co.uk/2026/02/26/supplied_japan_fair_trade_commission_mascot_dokkin.jpg
[19] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
News of the probe broke yesterday in Japanese outlet Nikkei, which [1]reported a raid on Microsoft’s Japanese office.
The Register asked Microsoft to comment on the matter, and a spokesperson told us “We are fully cooperating with the JFTC in their requests."
[2]
According to Nikkei, those requests relate to the way Microsoft licenses its software to run on clouds other than its own Azure service.
[3]
[4]
In other parts of the world, Microsoft has offered deep discounts for its own software – especially Windows Server and SQL Server – when users deploy it on Azure but effectively charges more to run it in rivals’ clouds.
Those practices earned the company critical attention from regulators in the [5]UK , [6]Europe , and [7]the USA .
[8]
Microsoft changed its ways in Europe, but not enough for Google which continues to press for [9]further changes . The matter remains unresolved in the UK and USA. Whether that’s due to regulators moving slowly, or Microsoft making persuasive arguments that put it in the clear, is uncertain.
[10]Microsoft makes Windows Server 2022 licenses a little less cynical
[11]Through gritted teeth, Apple and Google allow alternative app stores in Japan
[12]Japan loses another H3 launcher, plus the satnav bird it carried
[13]Microsoft gives Windows laggards the 'gift of time' wrapped in licensing fees
Japan’s Fair Trade Commission has form going after Big Tech companies, recently following other nations by [14]requiring Apple and Google to open their app stores to third parties, and also [15]tackling Google for forcing makers of Android handsets to include its apps.
Japanese regulators last year also [16]expressed displeasure when OpenAI’s Sora2 video generator ripped off local anime production hero Studio Ghibli.
Japan’s initiatives have not matched the European Union’s strong regulation of social media and e-commerce companies, which the Trump administration has painted as an unfair trade practice. ®
Bootnote
Japan’s Fair Trade Commission has a cute mascot called “Dokkin” and the agency [17]says it uses a “Dokkin Scope” to find violations of the Antimonopoly Act. When Dokkin succeeds, its heart lights up.
[18]
"Dokkin" - the mascot of the Japan Fair Trade Commission - Click to enlarge
The Register : Bringing you cultural context that matters.
Get our [19]Tech Resources
[1] https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/japan-antitrust-watchdog-raids-microsoft-over-cloud-services-concerns
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aZ_TdAAQanmuuJtwtrJgkQAAAY0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aZ_TdAAQanmuuJtwtrJgkQAAAY0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aZ_TdAAQanmuuJtwtrJgkQAAAY0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/07/uk_cma_early_findings_microsoft_cloud_choice/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/10/microsoft_avoids_antitrust_probe/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/28/microsoft_us_antitrust_probe_reports/
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/legal&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aZ_TdAAQanmuuJtwtrJgkQAAAY0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/25/google_microsoft_cloud_complaint/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/04/26/windows_server_license_changes/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/22/asia_tech_news_roundup/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/23/jaxa_h3_failure_inquiry/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/24/microsoft_windows_support/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/15/japan_app_store_monopolies/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/16/japan_google_monopoly_ruling/
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/15/japan_openai_copyrighted_anime/
[17] https://www.jftc.go.jp/houdou/kohokatsudo_3/index/profile.html
[18] https://regmedia.co.uk/2026/02/26/supplied_japan_fair_trade_commission_mascot_dokkin.jpg
[19] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/