Japan: Opened consultation on METI draft evaluation of transparency and fairness of digital advertising sector

On 13 December 2024, the Ministry of Environment, Trade and Industry (METI) opened a consultation, due to close on 20 January 2025, on a draft report evaluating the transparency and fairness of the digital advertising sector. This evaluation, conducted under the 2020 Act on Improving Transparency and Fairness of Specified Digital Platforms (Transparency Act), assesses platform compliance with transparency and fairness requirements. It reviews platform measures, including transparency of ad placement and pricing mechanisms, fairness in ad auction processes, and measures to address advertiser and consumer complaints. The report allows METI to monitor platform practices and gather public feedback to encourage voluntary improvements by providers and inform future policy discussions.