Mobile social networking company DeNA is reported to be facing an investigation by the country’s Fair Trade Commission, following claims that it pressured developers not to do business with one of its rivals. According to Dow Jones Newswires, the ambitious Japanese company pressured some of its mobile developer app partners not to do business with a mobile social networking site operated by Gree, which is a rival to DeNA’s Mobage Town site. It said that the company has acknowledged the investigation, but has declined to discuss its activities.

DeNA generated publicity earlier this year when it announced a deal to acquire ngmoco, which would create “the world’s largest mobile social games platform company,” and would see the rollout of Mobage Town beyond Japan. The deal was valued at up to US$400 million, and marked DeNA’s third acquisition involving a US company in the last year.