July 28, 2009
- GMO Internet, Inc.
July 28, 2009
Press Release
GMO Internet Inc.
Newly Established GMO Registry Launches Japan’s First new gTLD Registry Business
Tokyo – July 28, 2009 – GMO Internet, Inc. announces the establishment today of GMO Registry, Inc. The new company will offer domain (new gTLD*1) application, operation and marketing services and is the first new gTLD registry to launch in Japan.
*1 gTLD: generic Top Level Domain (.eg .com, .net, .org)
*2 Registry: An organization that maintains a central database of domain names data for a particular domain. (see reference materials)
1. New gTLD Application Process
There are currently 21 gTLDs (.com, .net etc.) in existence. As the market expands, there have increasingly been calls for ICANN*3 to introduce new gTLDs. In June 2008, the ICANN Board of Directors approved a policy process for the introduction of new gTLDs and has since announced that it expects to launch the new gTLD application program in 2010. The program will open up applications for corporate, geographic, and open top-level domains. Internationally, there is already interest in introducing new city-based domains including .nyc (New York City), .paris (Paris) and .berlin (Berlin), as well as general industry or organization-based names such as .eco, .music, .sport, and .gay.
*3 ICANN: (The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) US based not for-profit organization responsible for the global management of Internet domain names and IP addresses.
2. Establishment of GMO Registry
Both technical and operational expertise are required in applying for new gTLDs and providing domain registry management services. GMO Internet Group offers credibility as the first accredited ICANN registrar in the Asian region, along with a proven track record managing approximately one million active domains as one of the largest registrars in Japan. In light of the new gTLD Program, GMO Internet has established GMO Registry, Inc. to offer new gTLD application, management, and marketing support services to corporations and government bodies. Leveraging GMO Internet Group strengths as a market leader and ICANN accredited registrar that has launched a Japanese language/currency domain name registration service with year-round 24-hour customer support,, GMO Registry will launch Japan’s first new gTLD business.
3. GMO Registry Outline
New Subsidiary Name | GMO Registry, Inc. |
Date of Establishment | July 28, 2009 |
Address | Cerulean Tower, 26-1 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN |
Capital | 50 million yen |
Management | Representative Director: Masatoshi Kumagai Director: Hiroyuki Nishiyama, Director: Tadashi Ito Director: Hirokatsu Ohigashi Auditor: Masashi Yasuda |
Logo |  |
4. Outline of ICANN's New gTLD Application Process
・Applications for character strings that are considered geographical names must be accompanied by documentation of support or non-objection from relevant governments or public authorities.
・In cases of string contention a comparative evaluation will be conducted. At the end of the process any applications that remain in contention shall proceed to an auction.
The above outline is based on information currently available from ICANN. We will publish detailed Application Process information as soon as it is released.
5. Developments in the Japanese Domestic Market
In Japan, a selection committee is being formed to select a registry operator for .nihon, the internationalized country code top level domain in Japanese in accordance with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications guidelines.
6. Future Development
In addition to launching a new gTLD registry business, going forward we plan to offer ccTLD*4 management and marketing support services. We are currently focused on the development of management systems.
*4 ccTLD (country code Top Level Domain): A top level domain generally used by a country. Japan's ccTLD is .jp, other ccTLDs include .us (United States) and .uk (United Kingdom).
Media Inquiries
GMO Internet
E-mail：[email protected]
About GMO Internet Group
GMO Internet Group, headquartered in Japan, is a leading force in the Internet industry offering one of the most comprehensive ranges of Internet services worldwide. The group holds top domestic market share in domain registration, web hosting, and payment processing and provides a host of other Internet services including global online security services, e-commerce solutions, and Internet advertising to both businesses and individuals. At the centre of the group is GMO Internet, Inc. a company listed on the prestigious first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE: 9449).
GMO Internet Inc.
Company Name | GMO Internet Inc. http://www.gmo.jp/en (TSE First Section Code: 9449) |
Address | Cerulean Tower, 26-1 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya ku, Tokyo, JAPAN |
CEO | Masatoshi Kumagai |
Business Description | - Web Infrastructure & E-commerce - Internet Media |
Capital | 1.27 billion yen |