diff --git a/j2k/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/j2k/SpecialMethod.kt b/j2k/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/j2k/SpecialMethod.kt
index 17d12723832..de2c0d3f605 100644
--- a/j2k/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/j2k/SpecialMethod.kt
+++ b/j2k/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/j2k/SpecialMethod.kt
@@ -355,31 +355,6 @@ enum class SpecialMethod(val qualifiedClassName: String?, val methodName: String
                 = MethodCallExpression.buildNotNull(codeConverter.convertExpression(qualifier), "toCharArray", codeConverter.convertExpressions(arguments.slice(listOf(2, 3, 0, 1))))
     },
 
-    STRING_FORMAT_WITH_LOCALE(JAVA_LANG_STRING, "format", null) {
-        override fun matches(method: PsiMethod, superMethodsSearcher: SuperMethodsSearcher): Boolean
-                = super.matches(method, superMethodsSearcher) &&
-                  method.parameterList.parametersCount == 3 &&
-                  method.parameterList.parameters.let { it.first().type.canonicalText == "java.util.Locale" && it.last().isVarArgs }
-
-        override fun convertCall(qualifier: PsiExpression?, arguments: Array<PsiExpression>, typeArgumentsConverted: List<Type>, codeConverter: CodeConverter): Expression? {
-            if (arguments.size < 2) return null // incorrect call
-            return MethodCallExpression.build(codeConverter.convertExpression(arguments[1], true), "format", codeConverter.convertExpressions(listOf(arguments[0]) + arguments.drop(2)), emptyList(), false)
-        }
-    },
-
-    STRING_FORMAT(JAVA_LANG_STRING, "format", null) {
-        override fun matches(method: PsiMethod, superMethodsSearcher: SuperMethodsSearcher): Boolean {
-            return super.matches(method, superMethodsSearcher) &&
-                   method.parameterList.parametersCount == 2 &&
-                   method.parameterList.parameters.last().isVarArgs
-        }
-
-        override fun convertCall(qualifier: PsiExpression?, arguments: Array<PsiExpression>, typeArgumentsConverted: List<Type>, codeConverter: CodeConverter): Expression? {
-            if (arguments.isEmpty()) return null // incorrect call
-            return MethodCallExpression.build(codeConverter.convertExpression(arguments.first(), true), "format", codeConverter.convertExpressions(arguments.drop(1)), emptyList(), false)
-        }
-    },
-
     STRING_VALUE_OF_CHAR_ARRAY(JAVA_LANG_STRING, "valueOf", null) {
         override fun matches(method: PsiMethod, superMethodsSearcher: SuperMethodsSearcher): Boolean {
             return super.matches(method, superMethodsSearcher)
diff --git a/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/parameterToReceiver.java b/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/parameterToReceiver.java
index ba8e02c3eb7..ffbeb684f23 100644
--- a/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/parameterToReceiver.java
+++ b/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/parameterToReceiver.java
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 //method
 public static void adjust(String name, int maxLen) {
-    String.format("%-" + maxLen + "s", name);
     String.valueOf(1 + 1);
     "a".split("\\s+" + "\\s+", 2)
     kotlinApi.KotlinApiKt.extensionFunction(1 + 1)
diff --git a/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/parameterToReceiver.kt b/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/parameterToReceiver.kt
index bd385f4873e..9067621f8f9 100644
--- a/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/parameterToReceiver.kt
+++ b/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/parameterToReceiver.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 fun adjust(name: String, maxLen: Int) {
-    ("%-" + maxLen + "s").format(name)
     (1 + 1).toString()
     "a".split(("\\s+" + "\\s+").toRegex(), 2).toTypedArray()
     (1 + 1).extensionFunction()
diff --git a/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/stringMethods.kt b/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/stringMethods.kt
index 76ed865c8dd..a08ab2cd270 100644
--- a/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/stringMethods.kt
+++ b/j2k/testData/fileOrElement/methodCallExpression/stringMethods.kt
@@ -101,8 +101,8 @@ internal class A {
         3.14.toString()
         Object().toString()
 
-        "Je ne mange pas %d jours".format(Locale.FRENCH, 6)
-        "Operation completed with %s".format("success")
+        String.format(Locale.FRENCH, "Je ne mange pas %d jours", 6)
+        String.format("Operation completed with %s", "success")
 
         val chars = charArrayOf('a', 'b', 'c')
         String(chars)