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Japanese Government Raids Intel Tokyo Offices

Posted by michael on from the hands-up-or-the-cpu-gets-it dept.

mordicus writes "Reuters is reporting that Japanese Trade Officials have raided Intel's Japan Offices. From the article: 'Japan's fair trade watchdog raided the offices of Intel Corp's Japanese unit on Thursday and a government source in Tokyo said the chip giant is suspected of violating antitrust laws.' Japan seems to be rather vigilant in enforcing its antitrust legislation. Microsoft's Japanese unit was target of a similar operation less than two months ago."

11 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. Japan vigilant? by James+Lewis · · Score: 5, Insightful
    "Japan seems to be rather vigilant in enforcing its antitrust legislation."

    Well, at least they have been against American companies.

    1. Re:Japan vigilant? by bcolflesh · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hello Kitty?

    2. Re:Japan vigilant? by Simonetta · · Score: 5, Informative

      I suspect that this 'raid' is mostly political. Japan historically has vastly different standards between what Japanese companies can do and what foreign companies can do in Japan. If there is ever a question of whether to forward the interests of a Japanese company or apply the law as written fairly when such a situation would benefit the foreign company, the Japanese government will always support the local team.
      Check out the dozens of books written about Japanese business-government practices with American companies in the 1980s.
      With all respect due, I don't see how anyone could use the words 'Japanese anti-trust law' together seriously unless they are referring to a government-keiretsu coalition to destory a foreign company and assign their market to a Japanese concern. There's just too much history to suggest otherwise.

    3. Re:Japan vigilant? by Cassius105 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This is the same for any country really

      thats why MS got off lightly in the american anti trust case

    4. Re:Japan vigilant? by K-Man · · Score: 5, Informative

      The Japanese gained over 80% market share for DRAM in the 80's, and then a mysterious fire destroyed a glue factory that was needed for some aspect of production. Alas, production dropped. DRAM prices went through the roof, and stayed that way until the Koreans broke the monopoly in the 90's.

      But there was no hint of wrongdoing. Would you like some whale sushi?

      --
      ---- "If we have to go on with these damned quantum jumps, then I'm sorry that I ever got involved" - Erwin Schrodinger
  2. Re:Yikes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Intel has been trying to stop Japanese OEMs from using AMD chips.

  3. Re:Raid by Knight+Thrasher · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Raids typically DO include officers, in and out of uniform, in suits, etc, and they bring enough people to wisk away the employees from data without any potentially incriminating evidence being destroyed. Yeah, it's a raid. Nobody ever said if you're suspected of violating anti-trust laws you have lots of rights. =)

  4. Giant robot involved? by Geek_3.3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    From all of the recent /. stories, I imagine a lot of japanese robots doing the raiding...

    That or I watch too much anime. Probably a bit of both.

  5. Not Really... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    You are wrong if you think any American company is going to march into Japan and tell the Japanese how to run their business. Very wrong!

    The Japanese are known for protecting their own, at any cost, from non-Japanese threats. To say such protectionism a cornerstone of their culture is an understatement. Chances are that Intel tried to go John Wayne* on their Japanese suppliers/distributors, and they replied to the threat in their own special way: Using Tokyo to respond for them.

    * - Being an American currently living in Japan, I can say that acting American in a Japanese Business setting is like walking upto the plate, in baseball, with 2 strikes against you.

  6. Re:Two down... by thestarz · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does SCO, by any chance, have offices in Japan?

    --

    c++; /* this makes c bigger but returns the old value */
  7. Re:Kudos to Japan by txviking · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I wish AMD was the only processor manufacturer in the world, then everyone could only buy processors that are high quality for a low price.

    I wonder if the price of AMD would be so good if they would be a monopoly ...

    I still like choices. Let AMD and Intel and maybe some more companies compete. This creates innovation and good prices