Smith, Colleagues Urge President to Address Digital Trade Barriers in Japan

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) led 20 House Republicans in sending a letter urging President Donald Trump to address Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) during his visit to Japan. The MSCA targets American digital companies through unfair regulatory barriers which hamper innovation and threaten productivity. 

Key excerpts of the letter include:

We applaud your Administration’s tireless efforts to address longstanding trade barriers that negatively impact U.S. companies operating in foreign markets.

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As you embark on your first trip to Asia of your current term, we wish to draw your attention to an area of ongoing concern in the U.S.-Japan bilateral trade relationship – the digital economy....Apparently drawing direct inspiration from the European Union’s highly problematic Digital Markets Act (DMA), Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) targets solely U.S. companies for special rules and obligations that restrict how these companies can conduct business and interact with customers in Japan...No Japanese, Chinese, or other third-country companies are subject to the law.

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We encourage you to raise this issue in your upcoming meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan, and we stand at the ready to support your efforts to keep bringing down barriers for our world-leading digital companies.

Read the full letter here.

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