Japan: Closed investigation into Expedia for alleged anti-competitive parity clauses

On 2 June 2022, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) closed its investigation into Expedia Lodging Partner Services Sàrl for alleged anti-competitive parity clauses. The JFTC initiated the investigation on 25 February 2022 due to Expedia's most-favoured nation contract clauses that attempted to influence the pricing of hotels in Japan and force hotels to give Expedia better (or at least equal) prices compared to rival booking platforms. The JFTC accepted the commitments by Expedia to eliminate these clauses and alleged anti-competitive conduct. The approval of the commitment plan does not represent a statement on the illegality of the conduct.