FY2021 Summary of the Digital Platform Consultation Desks’ Operations

1. Background and purpose

Aiming to improve the transparency and fairness of digital platforms, the Act on Improving Transparency and Fairness of Digital Platforms (Act No. 38 of 2020; hereinafter referred to as the "TFDPA") was established on May 27, 2020, promulgated on June 3, 2020, and enforced on February 1, 2021. Three digital platform providers of comprehensive online shopping malls selling goods and two digital platform providers of application stores were designated as "specified digital platform providers" subject to regulation under the TFDPA on April 1, 2021. Designated businesses are required to disclose information such as their transaction terms and conditions, develop procedures and systems in a voluntary manner, and submit reports on their operations.

As one of its measures to ensure the effective implementation of the TFDPA, METI has established the Digital Platform Consultation Desks (called “DPCD”) for business users of digital platforms (e.g., shop owners on online shopping malls, app developers). The DPCDs offer advice through free consultations with expert consultants on business concerns and other issues related to doing business. The voices of business users through the DPCDs also help improve the business environment by identifying common concerns, and sharing these concerns with stakeholders. The information brought to the DPCDs is also being used in the process of reviewing the transparency and fairness of specified digital platforms, as conducted every year under the TFDPA. The specified digital platform providers are required to take voluntary actions to improve their transparency and fairness based on the results of the reviews. (Note: This process is called a “Monitoring Review”.)

The summary contains information on the DPCDs’ operations, such as the number of consultations handled in FY2021 (from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022).

2. Key points

• There was a total of 2,734 consultations and inquiries in FY2021. (Note: The count is based on the types of information, and includes both positive and negative subject matter)
• Of these, there were 368 requests for consultations and inquiries from users, and 2,366 cases in which the DPCDs collected information through interviews and other means.
• In addition, by type of DPCDs, there were 1,294 requests and cases collected by the DPCD for shop owners on online shopping malls and 1,407 requests and cases collected by the DPCD for app developers.
• By type of information provided, among the requests and cases collected by the DPCD for shop owners on online shopping malls, there were 131 (10%) for matters related to rankings (e.g., search rankings), 130 (10%) for matters related to changes in terms and conditions, and 125 (10%) for matters related to complete refusal of business (e.g., account deletions). Among the requests and cases collected by the DPCD for app developers, there were 257 (18%) for matters related to changes in terms and conditions, 250 (18%) for matters related to partial refusal of transactions (e.g., listing bans), and 234 (17%) for matters related to rankings (e.g., search rankings).

Related Materials

• About the FY2021 Summary of the Digital Platform Consultation Desks' Operations (in Japanese)(PDF:331KB)

Related Links

• Digital Platform Consultation Desk for shop owners on online shopping malls (in Japanese)
• Digital Platform Consultation Desk for app developers (in Japanese)
• Digital platforms (for businesses that use them) (in Japanese)
• Designation of Digital Platform Providers Subject to Specific Regulations Under the Act on Improving Transparency and Fairness of Digital Platforms (April 1, 2021)

Division in Charge

Digital Market Policy Office, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau