Apple may be forced to allow third-party app marketplaces in Japan as well.

Apple iPhone owners in Japan may one day be allowed to install third-party app marketplaces if new legislation goes ahead. The move would mimic that of the European Union and the Digital Markets Act. That act means that third-party app stores are now available across 27 member countries and it now appears that Japanese officials may bring similar legislation to their country as well.

A Japan Times report says that the legislation is currently being debated in parliament and that it would apply to Google as well as Apple. The bill has been submitted by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and would force dominant platforms, like those operated by Apple and Google, to allow third-party app markets as well as alternative payment options. The move would also prevent technology companies from giving preferential treatment to their own products, the report explains.

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Developers have long argued that Apple's high fees and App Store restrictions inhibit innovation, with those in Japan suggesting that they would be able to reduce the prices they charge customers as a result of third-party App Store alternatives. It remains to be seen whether that is how things would ultimately pan out however, especially if Apple chooses to roll a similar system out to the one that's in use in the EU. There, Apple charges a core technology fee and other fees to reduce the loss of revenue that comes about as a result of apps being sold outside of the App Store.

Japan is the first country to consider bringing in a law similar to the EU's DMA and it surely won't be the last. Before the DMA even came into force it was suggested by some that other countries around the world would be looking at the EU to see how things panned out. If anything, the EU is proving to be a litmus test for some countries while also giving Apple the chance to iron out the kinks associated with making third-party marketplaces work. As a result, any launch in additional countries would surely be less problematic. Apple's compliance with the DMA has seen multiple rule changes and rethinks since its introduction as Apple tries to comply without handing over too much control.

All eyes will now be on Japan to see whether it chooses to force Apple to open the iPhone up to third-party app marketplaces, and even if it doesn't, this is clearly one genie that Apple will not be able to put back in the bottle.