Microsoft's Activision deal will not harm competition -Japan watchdog

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's antitrust watchdog said on Tuesday it did not expect a merger between Microsoft Corp and Activision Blizzard to stifle competition, helping clear the way for the Xbox maker's $69 billion acquisition of the "Call of Duty" creator.

The Japan Fair Trade Commission has notified the companies that it will not issue a cease and desist order, and closed its review on the matter, the regulator said.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; editing by Jason Neely)