3.1 Revised rules of domain name registration and changes in the method, style and format of domain name registration application

(JP Domain Name Working Group)

JPNIC has revised the rules governing domain name registration, the method and format of domain name registration application, and various other application forms related to domain names. The revised contents and reasons for the changes are described below. These revisions are effective as of December 1, 1999.

All revised application forms contain a 2.1 notation in the form version column.

The previous (2.0) forms can be used until January 31, 2000. They will not be accepted as of February 1, 2000.

Details of revisions to domain name registration regulations, and reasons for the revisions.

1. Addition of new regulations related to application forms and attached documents.

   When JPNIC processes applications, it is difficult to correctly understand and cope with languages from all over the world. As applicants for JP domain names must be corporations under national laws, or individuals who are registered or reside in Japan, the language to be used on the application forms and attached documents must be Japanese (Article 5, Section 2).

2. The "period after which re-registration will not be accepted" has been changed to two months, due to expiration of a provisional registration caused by failure to implement organizing an organization, etc.; subsequent expiration caused by not setting up the name server has been changed from one month to two months.

   When a predetermined period has passed, the status of the domain registration will be changed from "name server has not been set up" (registered status) to "re-registration is not available" (deleted status). This domain enters the concurrent application period upon change to deleted status.

   The two periods (the period during which registered persons can apply for name server setup, and the period of concurrent application) were previously in succession. There was some confusion regarding this. To avoid confusion, the period during which re-registration cannot be undertaken has been changed from one month to two months. During the first month, applications from either side will be accepted; in the second month, only concurrent application can accepted (Article 27, Section 2). The same applies to the expiration of provisional registration (Article 23, Section 2).

3. Necessary attachments specified for transfer application The transfer examination for JP domain names has been exercised for about a year and a half, since revision of the rules in March 1998. Based on a number of actual transfer application examples and examination experience, we have decided that the attached documents to be included transfer application shall be clearly stated. If, however, individual approval by the board is required, submission of other documents may be requested as necessary (Article 29, Section 3: the separate document entitled "Documents required for domain name transfer application").
4. "Head of school, or a Representative" is added to (a) under Representative of AC domain name.

   For private universities, junior colleges, and professional schools, the head of the school, may serve as the representative.

5. The following have been added as acceptable OR domain name registration organization types: "specific non-profit corporation(NPO)," "Japanese branches or other organizations of legal person other than foreign companies," and "foreign organizations for friendship, commercial and cultural exchange in Japan."

   Accompanying enforcement of the specific non-profit activity promotion law regarding "specific non-profit corporations" has been added.

   In addition, Japanese branches of foreign legal organizations, and organizations such as foreign chambers of commerce, are allowed to register OR domain names. When these organizations apply for registration, as with applications submitted by foreign governmental organizations, submission of the certificate of the organization issued by the appropriate embassy or council is required. JPNIC provides detailed information for each application when the application for registration is submitted.

6. "Secondary education school" has been added as an ED domain name registration organization type.

   This revision was made because in the school education system, "secondary education schools" are defined as schools for junior high and high school consecutive education.

7. Clarification of organization type and qualification for registration for local governmental authorities.

   Local authorities such as prefectures, cities, towns, villages, and wards are subject to the same qualifications as were previously required for local domain name registrations by local authorities.

   However, it has become clear that this is not appropriate for special local authorities, such as clerical unions who cover more than one city, town, village, or ward, to register and use a local authority domain name. For that reason, these special local authorities may now register in the OR domain as an incorporated organization.

8. Clarification of rules governing submission of signature authenticity certification by individuals as a substitute for registered seal authenticity certification.

   As it has been confirmed that a registered seal authenticity certificate, and a signature authenticity certificate issued by a notary public (or other such organization qualified to issue such documents) are effectively equivalent, signature certification may now be substituted for registered seal certification for those individual applications that require a registered seal certification.

9. Other corrections to text.

   A number of modifications were made to eliminate inappropriate expressions and clarify certain explanations.

Method and format of domain name registration application, revision of application forms, and reasons for revisions.

1. Separation of forms of domain name expiration notification.

   A standard form was previously used to report expiration. However, as the information required for NE and GR domains is slightly different, the form for expiration notification for groups/network services has been separated.

2. Corrections accompanying implementation of an agent system for domain name registration applications, etc.

   As of October 1, 1999, our service was changed to one based on agent rules/agent contracts. For that reason, the term "delegated member" was replaced by the term "designated operator."

3. Addition of application agent information in domain name registration originals item change notification.

   An item for application agent information is added to "domain name registration original description item change notification".

4. Addition of application form entry guide for ED domain name applications.

   With respect to ED domain names, unlike other domain names a reserved domain name is registered. For that reason, an explanation is added to "domain name registration method and format" to facilitate filling out the application form when an organization whose reserved domain name has been registered applies for registration.

5. Other corrections to text.

   A number of other corrections were made to eliminate inappropriate expressions and clarify certain explanations.

Information about the changes described above is available on the Web and by E-Mail:

* For information about the JP domain name registration application

http://www.nic.ad.jp/jp/regist/dom/index.html

* For questions about registration of JP domain names

query@domain.nic.ad.jp