Host Count Survey

To obtain a clear picture of the current Internet use situation in Japan amid an increasingly linkage-based international environment, it has been decided to resume, under the leadership of JPNIC, the host count survey which has been in temporary suspension.

It has come to light in the meantime, however, that the count program which was to be used for the survey is problematic in the sense that (1) its count operations are too time-consuming, and that (2) there occurs a reading discrepancy between the program of the zone transfer type, which had been used before the temporary suspension, and the count program of the non-zone-transfer-dependent type, which was to be used for the upcoming survey, hence resulting in meaningless comparisons.

Following investigation and study by a working group assigned to the task, it has emerged that ISC (Internet Software Consortium) semiannually publishes statistical data of the same type as JPNIC's past survey results. The Steering Committee has approved the purchase of said data to publish it in edited form. The legal ramifications of purchasing the data from ISC for publication in such form are being reviewed.

IPv6 Address-Related Services Now Available

As reported in the previous issue of the Newsletter, a policy has been adopted under which from now, JPNIC will act as the IPv6 address allocation service window for Japan. In consequence of this, the working group assigned to the task has conducted an exhaustive study regarding the application acceptance method and other specific aspects of the process. The upshot of the endeavor was the launch on January 29, 2000 of accepting applications for IPv6 sub-TLA allocations service, and on March 1 of a service to register of name servers using IPv6 addresses to JPNIC database and the JP Primary DNS server, following due approval by the Steering Committee.

For more detailed information on the start of JPNIC's acceptance service for applications for IPv6 sub-TLA allocations, the reader is referred to the special feature elsewhere in this issue (Cf.3. Special Issue: Accepting Applications for IPv6 Sub-TLA Allocations).

Concerning the Establishment of dotJP-TF

Reflecting the rapidly expanding network outreach, domain name applications are increasing remarkably. In January, 1999, JPNIC assembled as a "grand design" a paper which attempted to predict the direction in which things would be headed several years down the road regarding JP domain name registration policy, domain name composition, and other issues. Only one year has gone by since then, and we are already seeing enormous changes taking place.

Recently, in addition to an increase in the number of domain name applications, several issues have attracted society's attention of late: Domain name-related trademark conflicts that may threaten to develop into disputes, and such domain name diversification as iDN.

Under the pressure of a need for sweeping reform in matters pertaining to JP domain names, the dotJP-TF task force has been instituted. Its mission is to first reduce the problem-ridden state to a tabula rasa and then build a working system from ground up. Following approval by the Steering Committee, members of the Domain Name Working Group and the Planning International Working Group will act as the central work force, to work on assigned tasks from medium- to long-term perspectives.

Future activities will be reported in the pages of JPNIC's Web site and Newsletter.

Concerning the iDN-TF

What has been referred to as "iDNS-TF" in previous issues of the Newsletter has now been renamed "iDN-TF." iDNS has been taken up for discussion at many academic meetings, as well as in informal circles, concerning the advisability and feasibility, or lack thereof, of its adoption. JPNIC will now make clear its policy regarding iDN.

Considering iDN's system characteristics, it is expected that repeated discussions will be led by the Asian region. In fact, this was one topic discussed at the APRICOT meeting held in Korea at the end of February.

The field is still under study, however, and JPNIC will be dealing with the matter with positive interest. A key Internet technology is at issue here, and it is necessary to consider iDN's compatibility with the existing system before we set out to elevate it to service level. The course that the task force will follow from here on will be closely watched. We have created a new web page dedicated to iDN, which may be accessed via the following URL.
http://www.nic.ad.jp/jp/research/idn/index.html