Japan's New Antitrust Rules: Apple, Google Must Share Biometric Data with D

Published Date : 7/31/2025 

Japan has enacted new antitrust laws aimed at breaking the monopoly of Apple and Google in the app market. These laws will require the tech giants to provide third-party developers access to biometric authentication and other OS functions. 

Beyond any specific trade deal, the general sense that the world should no longer lean on the U.S. will impact how governments shape policy, with significant implications for the biometrics industry. New antitrust laws in Japan aim to put a cap on monopolies for the world’s biggest tech firms – namely Silicon Valley megabrands Apple Inc. and Google LLC.

Japan Today reports that the guidelines issued by the Japan Fair Trade Commission focus on banning “discriminatory treatment of app stores” not operated by the two U.S. giants. Apple and Google account for over 90 percent of Japan’s smartphone operating system market. Almost all traffic for apps flows through their respective stores.

Japan wants to change this. In 2024, the nation’s parliament enacted the antitrust laws with the intention of opening up market access for third-party developers. Their final guidelines list 100 specific examples of violations. Significantly, the law will “require that app developers be given access to OS functions like voice calls and biometric authentication.”

Granting developers access to OS biometric authentication could open the door to more use cases for native device biometrics. OS-based biometric systems are among the most familiar and trusted uses of biometrics for many users, and could tip the scales in terms of user trust and adoption.

Another potentially notable prohibition on Apple and Google prevents them from using data obtained from the operation of their app stores or operating systems in their own products or services, per Kyodo News. Apple, predictably, opposes the law, asserting that it undermines privacy and security, and “forces it to provide its technology and services to competitors free of charge,” which it says could create new risks.

The financial incentives are clear. Japan’s domestic app market has been valued at about 2.4 trillion yen (16.2 billion dollars) from in-app purchases alone. More competition could lower prices for consumers, spurring a larger digital economy. It is also true that opening up native biometrics to developers could prompt a need for new regulations. However, that is likely not what Apple has in mind.

Japan’s new laws are set to take full effect in December 2025. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What are the new antitrust laws in Japan targeting?

A: The new antitrust laws in Japan target the monopolistic practices of tech giants like Apple and Google, specifically focusing on app stores and OS functions.

Q: What access will third-party developers get under these new laws?

A: Third-party developers will gain access to OS functions like voice calls and biometric authentication, which are currently dominated by Apple and Google.

Q: How might these laws impact user trust in biometric systems?

A: These laws could increase user trust in biometric systems as they become more widely available and integrated into various applications, making them more familiar and accessible.

Q: What are Apple's concerns regarding these new laws?

A: Apple is concerned that the new laws could undermine privacy and security, and force them to provide their technology and services to competitors free of charge, potentially creating new risks.

Q: When will these new antitrust laws take full effect in Japan?

A: The new antitrust laws in Japan are set to take full effect in December 2025. 

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