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| Google app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration. |
Japan's competition watchdog said on Monday it was investigating Alphabet.
Google has been held for antitrust violations in connection with increasing regulatory pressure on the US tech giant over its search practices on mobile platforms.
Japan's Fair Trade Commission said it is looking into whether Google has made deals with Android smartphone makers to share search advertising revenue, provided the device maker doesn't install a rival search engine.
The regulator is considering whether to prioritize Google services on Android phones. I'm checking for no.
The Japan FTC is requesting third-party opinions as part of its investigation, which it will submit by Nov. 22.
In response, Google said Android is "an open-source platform" that enables diversity among partners and device manufacturers.
"Its openness and flexibility ensure that users always have options for adapting their devices to meet their needs, including browsing the Internet and downloading apps," a Google spokesperson told CNBC via email on Monday.
Google's Android is the world's largest mobile operating system, with about 80% of the smartphone market share.
Some of Google's business practices related to Android have come under scrutiny from regulators around the world in recent years. In 2018, the European Union fined Google a record 4.34 billion euros ($4.6 billion) for abusing its Android dominance. The EU said Google unfairly favored its own services by forcing smartphone makers to pre-install Google apps Chrome and Search on its app store, Google Play.
After Google appealed, the EU court broadly agreed with the regulator's findings, although the fine was slightly reduced.
The trial, which began last month, alleged that Google violated antitrust laws through exclusive agreements with mobile phone makers and browser makers to make its search engine the default for users. This proceeding is the largest anti-tech trial in the US in decades.
