TOKYO — Japanese regulators on Tuesday accused U.S. tech giant Google of violating anti-monopoly laws, echoing similar moves in the U.S. and Europe.

Google Japan said in a statement that it found the action “regrettable.”

The Japan Fair Trade Commission’s “cease and desist order” says Google must stop the preinstallation of the Google search engine in Android smartphones, which it said in effect shuts out competition.

It’s unclear if Google will take legal action to fight the order, which could take years.

In the U.S., a judge ruled last year that Google’s ubiquitous search engine illegally exploited its dominance to quash competition. Google has denied the allegations, arguing that it’s immensely popular because people like what it offers. — Associated Press