Japan: Closed investigation into Booking.com B.V. for alleged anti-competitive parity clauses following commitments

On 16 March 2022, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) closed its investigation into Booking.com B.V. (Booking) for alleged anti-competitive parity clauses following commitments by Booking. The investigation had been initiated by the JFTC on 17 December 2021 alleging that Booking used contractual clauses to influence the pricing of hotels in Japan and force hotels to give Booking better (or at least equal) prices compared to rival booking platforms. Booking committed to eliminating the clauses and alleged anti-competitive conduct. The JFTC approved the commitments and closed the investigation. The approval of the commitment plan does not represent a statement on the illegality of the conduct.