Japan Regulators To Issue Warning To Microsoft

Japan's Fair Trade Commission has aimed its investigation at Microsoft's Windows XP and the firm's contract arrangements with fewer than a dozen Japanese PC manufacturers. These manufacturers were said to be upset about contract provisions with Microsoft that addressed patent and copyright issues.

Microsoft has dropped the offending wording from its contracts, although the firm has said it believes the wording did not break any laws.

"We don't think we have done anything improper, anything illegal," a Microsoft spokesman in Japan told the Dow Jones newswire.

The spokesman added that he knows of no disagreements between Microsoft and Japanese PC makers that could lead to lawsuits.

Japanese regulators raided Microsoft's headquarters offices in Tokyo last February, and the case has been in limbo ever since. Formal announcement of the disposition of the case is expected to come next Tuesday.

Sources in Japan said the issues involved in the Microsoft case do not call for fines or criminal charges.

*This story courtesy of Techweb.com.