Microsoft Filing Complaint Against Japan FTC

Tokyo, July 26 (Jiji Press)–U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp. is filing a complaint against an instruction by Japan’s Fair Trade Commission to nullify its alleged restrictive provision in contracts with electronics makers, its Tokyo unit said Monday.

At issue is the so-called “nonassertion of patents” provision in contracts between the Microsoft group and 15 Japanese electronics makers such as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and Sony Corp. over their use of the Windows operating systems in their products.

The Tokyo unit, Microsoft Co., said that its parent company is discontent with the Japanese trustbuster’s conclusion and will call for a review of the instruction.

The provision bans those makers from filing patent infringement suits against the Microsoft group even if they come to suspect that their technologies might be used in the Windows operating systems.END