Microsoft face Japan antitrust probe

Tokyo: Japanese PC makers will co-operate with authorities in Japan investigating Microsoft Corp, the world’s largest maker of PC software, for suspected violation of the anti-monopoly law.

Japan’s Fair Trade Commission yesterday asked Sony Corp, Sharp Corp and other Japanese PC makers to help the watchdog organisation in its investigation into whether licensing of Microsoft’s Windows XP software violates the anti-monopoly law.

Commission officials raided the Tokyo office of Microsoft yesterday to obtain information regarding its licensing provisions.