Japan Should Think Twice About Importing Europe’s Mobile Rules

Mario A. Zúñiga & Lazar Radic February 1, 2026

Japan Today View Original Source

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Japan rarely rushes to follow global regulatory fashion. But when it comes to mobile platforms, it has done exactly that. With the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) taking effect in December 2025, Tokyo has chosen to regulate smartphones the European way — by laying down detailed rules in advance, rather than enforcing competition law case by case. The move may feel modern and decisive, but it may also be a costly mistake.

The MSCA is modeled on the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, though it is narrower in scope and will be enforced by the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC), an agency known for consultation and restraint. That softer tone matters. But tone cannot fix a law built on shaky assumptions.

Read the full piece here.