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Epic called Apple’s new Japanese App Store charges “junk fees” and said in December 2025 that Fortnite would not return to Japanese iPhones that year. The situation later changed: Epic announced that its own store was available on Japanese iPhones with Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe, though it did not launch with other developers’ apps. The dispute is about whether Apple’s fees and safeguards leave meaningful room for competing stores—not whether Japan now permits alternatives at all.
What changed for iPhone apps in Japan?
Apple announced Japan-specific changes on December 17, 2025, in response to the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA). The changes are available beginning with iOS 26.2. Developers can keep apps in the App Store and use Apple’s payment system, offer alternative payments or link to a website from an App Store app, or distribute apps through an alternative marketplace. Apple’s overview is Apple’s announcement of its Japan changes.
The law opened additional distribution and payment routes; it did not require Apple to remove every fee. Apple’s implementation retains commissions, transaction-reporting requirements, authorization for marketplace operators, and extra installation steps for users. The charges depend on how an app is distributed and how a purchase is made, so “Apple’s fee” is not one uniform rate.
Which fees does Apple charge?
Apple’s developer documentation separates the charges by transaction route. The percentages below are Apple’s stated terms for Japan; they apply to different circumstances and should not be added together unless the relevant charges apply to the same transaction.
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| Route | Apple charge | What it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| App Store transaction | 10% or 21% commission | Apple lists 10% for certain qualifying developers and programs, and for auto-renewing subscriptions after the first year. The 21% rate applies to other digital-goods and services transactions. |
| Apple In-App Purchase processing | Additional 5% | Applies when Apple processes the payment. For a transaction subject to the 21% commission, the combined charges can reach 26%. |
| Website purchase linked from an App Store app | 15%, or 10% in qualifying cases | The Store Services Commission applies to qualifying digital-goods and services purchases made within seven days of tapping the link. The reduced rate applies to certain program participants and subscriptions after the first year. |
| App or digital goods sold through an alternative marketplace | 5% | The Core Technology Commission applies to qualifying sales through apps distributed by alternative marketplaces. It also covers certain sales made directly by the marketplace, such as paid marketplace downloads, paid app downloads, and marketplace subscriptions. |
For the detailed rates, definitions, and reporting rules, see Apple’s Japan app-distribution documentation. The 5% Core Technology Commission is the charge at the center of Epic’s objection to distributing apps through a competing marketplace. It is distinct from the 15% or 10% Store Services Commission for qualifying web-linked sales and the App Store commissions.
Why did Tim Sweeney call the charges “junk fees”?
On December 18, 2025, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney argued that Apple was undermining the competition the Japanese law was meant to create. Epic objected that Apple collects a percentage of some purchases it does not process, including sales through alternative marketplaces, and requires developers and marketplace operators to report applicable transactions to Apple. Epic says the fees and reporting obligations add costs and complexity, while Apple’s authorization process and installation screens make competing stores less appealing to users.
Sweeney also said Fortnite would not return to Japanese iOS in 2025 under Apple’s announced terms. Epic’s complaint centered on a 5% charge for purchases made through an Epic Games Store installation and a 15% charge on qualifying purchases made through a web link from an App Store version of Fortnite. Contemporary coverage of his December statement is available from MacRumors.
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Epic later described Japan’s installation flow as nine steps, compared with six screens in the European Union after regulatory pressure. It said the EU change reduced player drop-off during installation attempts by 60%. Those are Epic’s own figures and comparison, not an independent measurement. Epic’s objections and account of the installation experience appear in its announcement of its Japanese iPhone store.
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Apple says its fees reflect the value of iOS technology, development tools, and platform services that benefit developers regardless of where an app is distributed or how a customer pays. It also argues that alternative distribution carries additional risks involving malware, fraud, scams, privacy, and child safety.
Under Apple’s rules, alternative marketplace operators must be authorized and meet continuing requirements. Apps distributed outside the App Store undergo Notarization, which Apple describes as a baseline security review; it is not the full App Review process. Apple also says alternative payment providers limit its ability to help with refunds and payment disputes. Developers offering alternative payments must show Apple In-App Purchase alongside the alternative and provide disclosure sheets. These are Apple’s stated reasons and safeguards, not a regulatory finding that its terms comply with Japanese law.
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What happened to Fortnite on Japanese iPhones?
- 2024: Sweeney said Epic intended to bring Fortnite to Japanese iOS in late 2025 after Japan passed its mobile-competition legislation.
- December 17, 2025: Apple announced its Japan-specific distribution and payment terms.
- December 18, 2025: Sweeney said Fortnite would not return to Japanese iOS in 2025 under those terms and said Epic would complain to Japan’s Fair Trade Commission.
- Later: Epic announced that the Epic Games Store was available to download on iPhones in Japan with Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe. Epic said it was not launching with apps from other developers, citing Apple’s 5% fee and transaction-reporting requirements.
That later launch changes the December headline-era picture: Fortnite was not permanently absent from Japanese iPhones. Epic did proceed with distribution through its own store, while keeping its objections to Apple’s conditions and declining, at launch, to carry other developers’ apps.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What do the rules mean for developers and users?
Staying in the App Store
Developers retain App Store distribution and its discovery and support infrastructure. Depending on the developer category and transaction, Apple’s commission may be 10% or 21%; Apple’s 5% payment-processing charge applies when it processes the purchase. A web purchase linked from an App Store app may also incur the Store Services Commission if it meets Apple’s conditions.
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Offering an alternative payment method
An app can remain in the App Store while offering another payment route, but Apple requires developers to show Apple In-App Purchase alongside it and provide disclosures. Apple says developers must also report transactions and collect tax information. The applicable App Store commission depends on the transaction and developer category; using an outside processor does not by itself mean the App Store commission disappears. Apple warns that external payments may not receive the same refund and fraud support as purchases it processes.
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Using an alternative marketplace
A marketplace can offer a distribution channel outside the App Store, but its operator must obtain Apple authorization, and applicable sales are subject to the 5% Core Technology Commission and transaction reporting. Marketplace operators also take on practical responsibilities such as storefront moderation, fraud prevention, refunds, disputes, data practices, and user support. Users encounter additional installation steps and warnings.
Families and child-directed apps
Apple’s Japan rules restrict some external purchase flows for children. Kids-category apps cannot provide out-of-app website offers. Alternative payment flows require parental gates; users under 13 cannot be directed to websites for transactions. Users aged 13–17 may receive certain external offers subject to parental controls and consent requirements. Apple outlines these protections in its Japan changes announcement.
What consumers may gain or give up
Alternative stores and payment methods give users more choice and could allow developers to offer different prices, although lower prices are not guaranteed. Purchases outside Apple’s systems may not appear in Apple’s purchase history or subscription management, and users may need to rely on another provider for refunds, fraud disputes, and support. Apple says Notarization is less comprehensive than App Review and that external transactions can involve sharing payment information with additional parties.
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Has Japan’s law created meaningful competition?
Japan has formally opened routes for alternative marketplaces and payment providers. The unresolved question is how commercially usable those routes are when Apple still sets authorization requirements, charges commissions, requires transaction reporting, and inserts installation steps. Epic says those conditions can make a rival store unattractive to developers; Apple says they fund platform value and address security and support risks.
Epic’s eventual store launch shows that Apple’s terms did not make distribution impossible. Its decision not to include other developers’ apps at launch, however, illustrates why Epic says the cost and administration make a broader marketplace less attractive. Epic has said it would raise its objections with Japan’s Fair Trade Commission. The sources cited here do not establish a final Japanese regulatory ruling on whether Apple’s terms violate the MSCA.
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