Japan's competition regulator has said it is investigating Google's parent company Alphabet for a suspected violation of the country's Antimonopoly Act.

The investigation by the Japan Fair Trade Commission will consist of two parts - an examination into whether Google shared search related ad revenue with Android phone makers in return for manufacturers not pre-installing competitors search applications, and a look into whether Google services in general are being prioritized by Android devices.

"Google has been suspected to exclude business activities of its competitors or restrict business activities of its counterparties," a press release announcing the investigation read.

As part of the investigation, the regulator has requested that interested third parties submit their opinions by November 22.

In response to the announcement, Google stressed that Android is an open-source platform. "Its openness and flexibility ensure that users always have a choice to customize their devices to suit their needs, including the way they browse and search the internet, or download apps," Google said in a statement sent in response to a request for comment.

"We have continued to work closely with government agencies to demonstrate how we are supporting the Android ecosystem and expanding user choice in Japan. We will continue to collaborate with the government and industry partners throughout this process," Google said.

Google faces a number of antitrust investigations

Japan is not the only country where Google is currently under investigation regarding alleged anticompetitive practices.

In the EU, Google is seeking to overturn a