Japan Raids Intel on Competition Concerns

[Sun Baked]

Japan Raids Intel on Competition Concerns

By AUDREY McAVOY Associated Press Writer

TOKYO (AP) - Japan's Fair Trade Commission raided offices of Intel Corp. on Thursday on suspicion the world's semiconductor leader pressured personal computer manufacturers to spurn competitors' products, a commission official said.

Fair trade authorities suspect that Intel improperly urged clients not to include central processing units - the key chips that do computers' thinking - manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices and other companies, said Masaru Matsuo, a manager at the Fair Trade Commission.

The raid covered three Intel locations across Japan, including the company's Tokyo headquarters, and comes exactly six weeks after the commission raided offices of Microsoft Corp. in a probe of alleged anti-competitive practices by the world's most powerful software company.

Intel said it was cooperating with the probe.

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[Makosuke]

I've always had a suspicion that Intel was almost as much of a monopolist as MS, they're just less obvious about it and have better commercials. Not proven guilty yet, I suppose, but serves 'em right.

Since when is it that Japan actually cracks down on corporate crime like this? Not only are they going after both MS and Intel, but they actually raided the offices! Go, you!

Actually, makes me wonder if they didn't find some evidence of collusion in the MS raids a couple months ago... maybe THATS why they're going after Intel now. Interesting conspiracy theory, isn't it?