Intel warned of antitrust

TOKYO: Japan's anti-monopoly watchdog issued a warning against U.S. chipmaker Intel Corp. on Tuesday, saying it used unfair business practices to pressure Japanese clients to buy its microprocessor chips at the exclusion of rivals.

There was no monetary punishment, but Japan's Fair Trade Commission said that if Intel doesn't change its ways, it could be prosecuted.

The FTC said the semiconductor maker broke antitrust laws to try to dominate the market for central processing units, or CPUs -- the microprocessor chip that are silicon brain of all computers.

"Intel is engaging in actions to keep CPUs made by competing companies from being used," the FTC said in a statement. "These actions .... are substantially limiting the CPU sales sector for domestic personal computer makers." -- AP