.kyoto Pre-Register Domain - .kyoto Domain Information

The Kyoto Jyoho Gakuen, hereafter referred to by its school name, The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics, (KCGI) is proposing to run the ".kyoto" top-level domain for Kyoto, a geographical area once known as the old capital and historic center of Japan. A top-level domain for Kyoto will play an important function in expanding the Internet, fostering communications, improving commerce, and growing the online communities of Kyoto.

KCGI is a non-profit academic institute approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology established in 1963 as a professional graduate school for the Kyoto Computer Gakuin, the first private computer educational institute established in Japan. Since its founding, the school has placed a high value on education as a means to achieve social prosperity and happiness, resulting in a 50-year successful track record of achievements that are widely recognized within the Japanese educational community as well as by the National Government. The school also has extensive experience in providing support for computer-based learning opportunities for computer professionals in developing countries. Additional information about KCGI can be found at: http://en.kcg.edu/school_info/brief.html, and messages to KCGI from Dr. Susan Fuhrman, the President of Teachers College, Columbia University and Dr. Kathleen McCartney, the Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education can be found at the following links respectively:

　- http://kcg.edu/ceremony/32.html
　- http://kcg.edu/ceremony/33.html

KCGI has received full support for its application to operate and manage the ".kyoto" top-level domain from not only the Kyoto Prefectural Government but also the Commissioner of Japan Tourism Agency (National Government), the President of Kyoto University (a very prestigious university, which turned out five Nobel laureates), President of Doshisha University, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, Kyoto Notre Dame University, and other well-known Universities in Japan. Additionally, KCGI has gained valued support from famous business organizations such as All Nippon Information Industry Association Federation (Also known as ANIA, which consists of 1600 ICT related companies all over Japan), among others.

A full list of supporters can be found at the following URL: http://www.kcg.ac.jp/endorsement_letter/

The above organizations are an honorable part of the Kyoto community, and their support demonstrates that KCGI's proposal to manage and operate the ".kyoto" registry has been well received.

The mission and purpose of the ".kyoto" namespace is to create a high performance top-level domain registry that will foster global communications, improve international commerce, and expand the online communities of Kyoto.

KCGI has identified four objectives within its mission:

　1. Operate and maintain a safe, stable top-level domain registry while projecting exemplary operational standards for other geographic top-level domains.
　2. Play a role in improving the Kyoto brand on a local and international scale.
　3. Create a top-level domain which Kyoto residents and companies alike can be proud to own.
　4. Contribute to ideas of free competition, democratic administration, and technological edge.


1. Running a Safe, Stable TLD for Kyoto

KCGI will operate and maintain one of the safest, most stable top-level domain registries in the world while projecting exemplary operational standards for other geographic top-level domains.

KCGI envisions the ʺ.kyotoʺ namespace as becoming the global standard in safe, secure, and stable registry operations. In order to achieve this goal, KCGI has carefully examined current gTLD and ccTLD registry service providers in the marketplace and selected Neustar, Inc, (Neustar), a leading provider of registry services, to be the registry backend systems provider for ".kyoto". In addition, KCGI has partnered with UrbanBrain Company, a gTLD consulting division of Interlink Co., Ltd., to provide policy related guidance, and Iron Mountain as its Registry Data Escrow provider.

KCGI believes that running the registry focused on security and stability is the foundation for building a platform to improve various aspects of the Kyoto brand (tourism, commerce, industry, culture, sports, and regional development) both locally within Japan and internationally. Working closely with its partners, KCGI will ensure that ".kyoto" is operated with the highest standards and industry best practices to create an exemplary model for other city TLDs in Japan and around the world.

The foundation of running a registry operation from a technical aspect should be grounded in long-term industry best practices using proven infrastructure and registry software. The ".kyoto" TLD will stand for stability and longevity with a mission to serve the community of Kyoto residents, individuals, businesses, organizations, and government bodies that choose to build an identity under the ʺ.kyotoʺ brand.


2. ".kyoto" as a Vital Role in Branding Kyoto

The ".kyoto" gTLD will play a vital role in improving the "Kyoto" brand on a local and international scale.

Implementing a creative approach to operating and marketing the ".kyoto" top-level domain will play a vital role in contributing to the utility, which the Internet, specifically the ʺ.kyotoʺ namespace, provides for the community on a local level, as well as improving the brand name for Kyoto on an international level. One of the first priorities will be to ensure that the registry is operational as soon as the TLD is delegated by ICANN.

Kyoto is a leading area in terms of technology. Through times of recession in Japan, Kyoto has always been able to thrive due to maintaining its culture of innovation and focus on quality. Kyoto fosters a culture of creativity and development both in business and academia. The ".kyoto" TLD will provide a new platform for local governments, business, organizations, and individuals to continue Kyotoʹs long tradition of sophistication, creativity, and innovation.


3 ".kyoto": A Sense of Pride for Kyoto

KCGI envisions strengthening the Kyoto brand by prioritizing the allocation of names that are key to the public interest.

KCGI envisions strengthening the Kyoto brand by prioritizing the allocation of names that are key to the public interest. KCGI will work closely with the community in devising a schedule of key names for cities, districts, towns, and villages as well as prioritization of the allocation of such names. By doing so, KCGI will be able build a strong base of domain registrations that greatly benefit the community as well as show the usefulness of the TLD before opening the registry for general registrations. Additionally, KCGI will implement strict domain eligibility requirements and an acceptable use policy to ensure that registrations or content hosted on a ".kyoto" domain do not cause damage or harm to the Kyoto brand, and any such breaches of policy can be swiftly remedied.


4. Free Competition, Democratic Administration, and Technological Edge

The goal of ".kyoto" is to run a registry that benefits all parties in Kyoto. As such, KCGI proposes that customers who wish to register domain names will directly deal with ICANN accredited registrars who have signed an agreement to sell ".kyoto" names with KCGI, the registry operator. The Registry will create fair and non-discriminatory criteria for qualification to become a registrar. In this way the name space will play a role of incubation medium for new businesses with technological edges.

Registrars will be required execute an agreement with the registry operator and abide by its terms.

The ʺ.kyotoʺ top-level domain will play a vital role in expanding online communities in Kyoto as well as promoting the Kyoto brand. One of the overall goals is to ensure that the ʺ.kyotoʺ top-level domain becomes a trusted, secure, and stable operation that benefits communities, individuals, businesses, organizations, and government bodies in Kyoto as well as global Internet users who provide information/services about Kyoto by allowing them to own and operate memorable domain names.

The operation of the ".kyoto" TLD enables the creation of a "virtual Kyoto" in which global Internet users can utilize in order to discover more about Kyoto in an intuitive way. KCGI expects that the TLD will create more interest in Kyoto from global users and stimulate the desire for users to visit the "real Kyoto" for themselves. KCGI is confident that "virtual Kyoto" will bring tremendous benefits to the local economy of Kyoto. KCGI will continue to conduct research in collaboration with other academic institutions in Kyoto and Osaka as well as other cities to better develop online services for geographic communities.

Names under the ".kyoto" top-level will become the standard for finding local, relevant content. As local search and location-based services become more and more prevalent ".kyoto" will help usher in a new era of user behavior on the web in terms of finding goods, services, and relevant content.

In order to accomplish the goals of maintaining a strong platform for building strong branding opportunities, KCGI will implement policies that ensure names are used appropriately. KCGI believes that purely speculative registrations must be minimized in order to create a highly useful geographic top-level domain. Thus, KCGI proposes that a nexus requirement for registrants is a key ingredient to its success in maintaining the reputation and quality of the Kyoto's top-level domain due to the correlation of policy enforcement and malicious domains as described in the first section above.

By running the registry with a "community-first" philosophy, KCGI can ensure the ".kyoto" TLD evolves into a platform for the future. As more and more governments move toward providing online services for citizens, the Kyoto government will have access to a new and intuitive platform for providing unrivaled online services for its citizens. Citizens will be able to leverage the platform to find local information more easily. Tourists and visitors to Kyoto will have the luxury of having the entire virtual world of Kyoto at their fingertips.


i. What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of specialty, service levels, or reputation?

In planning for the ".kyoto" top-level domain, KCGI proposes that it is important to build a roadmap and ensure that key names are allocated to users with the highest likelihood to produce legitimate content and maintain ongoing operations of those names in a consistent matter. KCGI will map out a well-organized namespace in order to create a logical structure that breeds trust for users.

In order to build trust among its users KCGI will promote the use of the name among established organizations in Kyoto. Kyoto has a rich history in technology, innovation and longevity, and ".kyoto" offers an opportunity for over 28,000 registered businesses in the area to revitalize their online presence and drive competition.

Further along the lines of establishing a reputable TLD, KCGI believes that it is important to build a web full of useful names. It is not uncommon for generic or "open" TLDs to contain a lot of so-called "junk sites." Relatively low price points and lack of clear rules creates a favorable atmosphere for cyber criminals, squatters, and speculators. ".kyoto" will implement policies that allow it to specialize in being a utility for its citizens, and other global users who have a tie to Kyoto.

In order to accomplish its goals of exceeding ICANN service level requirements and providing users with a reliable namespace, KCGI has selected a world-class service provider. Together with enforced registration eligibility requirements and secure operations, ".kyoto" will earn a reputation as a leading geographic TLD and first-rate domain name registry.


ii. What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space, in terms of competition, differentiation, or innovation?

The aim of ".kyoto" is to ensure that the TLD is a community-driven online space that benefits Internet users. KCGI's philosophy is to produce quality over quantity. KCGI anticipates that its approach will be different from the current geographic naming scheme in the .jp zone and other proposed geographic TLDs in Japan.

The current geographic naming scheme in the .JP zone is overly complex; consisting of four distinct labels. For example, individual users can currently register a name such as ʺUSER.fushimi.kyoto.jpʺ. The manager of the JP zone, Japan Registry Services had worked to remedy this problem and is currently planning to launch third-level geographic names as part of it's offering under the .JP zone. Thus, registrants will be able to own names such as ʺUSER.kyoto.jpʺ. It is anticipated that these names will be introduced to the public in the first quarter of 2012.

While this new program may be good for smaller cities and/or prefectures, these names are less intuitive for the average Internet user when compared to a dedicated TLD. A name directly under the ".kyoto" top-level is intuitive, easy to remember, and will surely become the default name for users seeking information related to Kyoto. A TLD for Kyoto will allow registrants to connect with targeted audiences as well as be part of a new movement to grow online communities.

KCGI will make a reasonable effort to work with the .jp ccTLD manager to ensure that minimal consumer confusion occurs with the introduction of ".kyoto".


iii. What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?

The registry's philosophy of structuring the namespace with quality over quantity will help ensure that junk sites and speculative registrations are minimized. KCGI's plan to build and promote the ".kyoto" namespace will allow users to intuitively locate relevant information specific to the Kyoto area. Registrants of ".kyoto" will be the conduits to innovation in the ".kyoto" online space by designing and building out intuitive domain names.

It is the goal of the registry to have a strong set of base registrations already registered in the zone and fully operational with useful content before the public launch of the TLD. These base registrations will be intricately planned with the assistance of government planning authorities, as well as part of the pre-launch phases (Sunrise, and Founders Program). Having a base of active registrations ensure that users of ".kyoto" are greeted with instant access to the relevant local information.

KCGI will seek to achieve convergence with other geographic TLDs in Japan to ensure user confusion is minimized. This will enable Japan to have a strong network of geographic TLDs that work in tandem for the benefit of the public.


iv. Provide a complete description of the applicant's intended registration policies in support of the goals listed above.

Registration policies are a very important step in building up to a successful launch. Construction of policies requires careful planning that will ultimately assist the registry in accomplishing its goals without alienating the Internet user population. KCGI's technology provider, Neustar, has extensive experience with launching TLDs, and is the only registry operator to have launched a number of TLDs with diverse Rights Protection Mechanisms. Furthermore KCGI and its consulting partner, UrbanBrain Company, have extensively studied the registration policies and launch process for several TLDs and have observed some of the benefits and drawbacks of certain methods.

The primary objective of the launch policies, and inclusion of a Nexus Requirement, is to maximize the user experience and utility for local and global Internet users while minimizing the costs to trademark rights holders. The registry will implement the following registration policies for ".kyoto":

　1. Kyoto Domain Name Eligibility Requirements
　2. Acceptable Use Policy
　3. Reserved Names
　4. Founders Program
　5. Sunrise Period
　6. Landrush Period
　7. ICANN Consensus Policies and Rights Protection Mechanisms


1. Kyoto Domain Name Eligibility Requirements

The Kyoto Domain Eligibility Requirements policy defines who or what entities can register a domain name, the types of names that may be registered, as well as the technical requirements for allowable labels in the ".kyoto" top-level domain.

1a Eligible Registrants

All registrants will be required to abide by a Nexus Requirement. The Nexus Requirement will require registrants to be in compliance with the registration agreement and Nexus Requirement at all times. The Registry will conduct scans of registration request information from time to time in order to ensure compliance with the registration requirements. Any failure of a registration request to satisfy the Nexus Requirement will result in the name being placed on a hold for an initial period of 30 days. The sponsoring registrar will be notified of such a hold and be given the opportunity to correct any information. If the registrant does not comply during the hold time frame, the domain name may be subject to deletion.

Eligible registrants include, but are not limited to:

　a. Kyoto municipalities and local governments
　b. Public and private institutions in Kyoto
　c. Organizations, companies, and other businesses in Kyoto
　d. Residents of Kyoto
　e. Others who have a legitimate purpose for registering and using a ".kyoto" domain

1b Eligible Domain Names

An acceptable domain name that is valid for registration is one that:

　• has not already been registered
　• has not been blocked or reserved
　• meets the technical requirements
　• does not construe an abusive or obscene meaning in Japanese
　• does not construe an abusive or obscene meaning in English or other languages

2b. Technical Requirements

The standard technical requirements of the domain name described below:

Names in the ".kyoto" TLD will be registered at the second level in the following format:

　• Labels containing the letters a - z in the standard US ASCII character set. Domain names may include the numbers 0 (zero) through 9 (nine) as well as a hyphen. (-).
　• The string my not begin with a hyphen (-)
　• The string my not contain a hyphen in both the third and forth positions unless it is a valid Internationalized Domain Name (in their ASCII encoding)
　• The string may be a maximum of 63 characters in length


2. Acceptable Use Policy

The Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is one of central policies of the ".kyoto" registry and will be implemented to ensure that the registry maintains the rights to protect the integrity of its registry and achieve its goal of maintaining a safe and stable operation. The policy further describes the process for applying for and registering, renewing, and transferring a domain name in the ".kyoto" zone as well as any restrictions, and how the registry can enforce its policies.

The AUP will be incorporated into the Registry-Registrar Agreement and give the registry the right to take any appropriate actions needed to remedy a particular type of abuse. All ICANN accredited registrars which enter into an agreement with the registry will be required to pass through the Acceptable Use Policy to its Resellers (if applicable) and finally, to all registrants.


3. Reserved names

The registry will reserve names as required by the new gTLD Registry Agreement. These names will include:

　• The label ʺEXAMPLEʺ as required by ICANN
　• All two character labels will be initially reserved. Provisions for the release of these names is further described in relation to question 22: Protection of Geographic Names.
　• Tagged domain names (labels with a hyphen (ʺ-ʺ) in the third or fourth positions will only be allowed if they represent a valid internationalized domain name (IDN) in their ASCII encoding.
　• Second level names for registry operations, defined by ICANN as: NIC, WWW, IRIS, and WHOIS.
　• Country and territory names listed the following internationally recognized lists will be initially reserved:
　　　1. the ISO 3166-1 list including the short form and long form English versions,
　　　2. United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Technical Reference manual for the Standardization of Geographical Names,
　　　　Part III Names of Countries of the World
　　　3. The list of United Nations member states in 6 official United Nations languages prepared by the Working Group on Country Names of the
　　　　United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names

The registry plans to create a list of reserved names based on its work with the community and local governments to ensure that names that serve the public interest are allocated in the most efficient and beneficial way.


4. Founders Program

KCGI is dedicated to the long-term expansion and development of the ".kyoto" top-level domain. The Kyoto Founders Program will be developed in order to encourage usage of the TLD and ensure that a wide range of websites and online services are fully operational before the public launch of the TLD.

KCGI is currently in the process of selecting names (singular names and groups of names) to be part of the Kyoto Name Allocation Program. The registry will not select trademarked terms as part of this launch and will work closely with the relevant government authorities in Kyoto to produce a list of names that will maximize public utility. The purpose of allocating pre-selected names or groups of names will help Kyoto maintain high standards on a large number of key domain names though the use of special policy provisions for the selected names.

Having a coherent structure for ".kyoto" is key to achieving is mission of serving the Kyoto community. Once the names have been selected, they will be posted on the registry's website with information on how an organization can apply to manage these names. This portion of the policy is under careful construction and a draft policy and agreement will be posted in advance of the application period for this portion of the founders program. All terms will be inline with the ICANN New gTLD Registry Agreement.


5. Sunrise Period

KCGI is committed to implement methods of rights protection in accordance with Specification 7 of the ICANN gTLD Agreement. As part of complying with this criteria, KCGI will offer a Sunrise period for a minimum of 30 days to allow trademark holders the opportunity to secure trademarked names under the ".kyoto" TLD before the public launch. KCGI will employ the Trademark clearinghouse for this phase and will utilize the Trademark Notification Service for the life of the registry (A full description of the registry's compliance with specification 7 can be found in response to question 29.)

KCGI anticipates that eligible participants in the sunrise phase will be constrained to the following levels:

　1. Trademark holders with a principle place of business in Kyoto
　2. Trademark holders with a principle place of business in Japan
　3. Trademark holders worldwide

At the time of application submission during the sunrise phase, requested domains are checked against registrations in the ICANN-mandated Trademark Clearing House (TMCH).

* As of the submission date of this application the Trademark Clearinghouse is still in the early stages of development and the protocol is not yet known.

6. Landrush Period

KCGI will offer a landrush period in which any interested party will be permitted to submit one or more applications to purchase high value domains at reasonable costs. Only domain names that have not been reserved, restricted, registered and follow all registration rules and policies will be available during this launch period. Applications in the landrush period will be accepted throughout the period and will be considered as accepted at the same time.

At the end of the landrush period domain names for applications that do not have any competing applications will be approved and the domain name will be allocated to the registrant.
Applications for domain names having one or more competing applications will be auctioned at prescribed date and time.


7. ICANN Consensus Policies and Proposed Rights Protection Mechanisms

KCGI understands that ".kyoto" will be an important public resource for the Kyoto community and has committed to ensuring that all rights holders have adequate protections for their intellectual property assets. KCGI will implement the following RPMs in its TLD:

　• Trademark Clearinghouse
　• Sunrise and Trademark Claims Process
　• Implementation of the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP)
　• Implementation of the Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) mechanism

Additionally, KCGI is aware of, and understands, all current ICANN consensus policies listed at http://www.icann.org/en/general/consensus-policies.htm. As the registry operator for ".kyoto", KCGI will ensure continuing compliance with all existing and future consensus policies.


v. Will your proposed gTLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants or users? If so, please describe any such measures.
All registrant data as required by the WHOIS policy and ICANN standards will be publicly available where the registrant does not use privacy registration services at their registrar of choice. Registrars will be responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the payment information used in conjunction with a domain name registration.

The Registry operator will notify each ICANN-accredited registrar of their requirement to adhere to specific consensus policies. Additionally KCGI is aware of the current work being done to analyze the current WHOIS model as well as the movement to improve it. KCGI's partners are involved deeply in the ICANN community and KCGI commits to implementing any and all new procedures as approved by ICANN.


vi. Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits.

KCGI believes that communications and community outreach will play a role in the ability of ".kyoto" to reach its projected benefits. KCGI will promote a strategy for creating a strong brand, consumer awareness, sales, and use of the TLD by influential companies and people. The communications and outreach strategy is still under development, however KCGI plans to base its strategy on creating stronger awareness of domain names, working with local registrars to market ".kyoto" and build a strong user base of companies, organizations and influential people before the public launch.

Numerous parties have expressed concerns over the introduction of the new gTLD program with the belief that new TLDs could harm consumer welfare due to consumer confusion. Trademark holders have also brought up the issue of new TLDs imposing additional costs due to the necessity of participating in "defensive" registrations.

KCGI believes these concerns will be sufficiently addressed by its full implementation of ICANN's new Rights Protection Mechanisms (RPMs) and rules for new TLDs. Listed below is each policy that KCGI will implement, followed by a brief description, to minimize social costs:

　1. Trademark Clearinghouse
　2. Sunrise and Trademark Claims Process
　3. Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP)
　4. Uniform Rapid Suspension URS
　5. Other Rights Protection Mechanisms


1. Trademark Clearinghouse

The trademark clearinghouse is a mandatory RPM that as been developed in order to serve as a central repository for information to facilitate other RPMs such as the Sunrise Period and Trademark Claims process. Though this RPM is still under development, KCGI's partners, including its back-end registry services provider, Neustar, are actively playing a role on the IAG to ensure that protections afforded by the clearinghouse and associated RPMs are feasible and implementable. Further information regarding the implementation of this mechanism can be found in reference to Question 29: Rights Protection Mechanisms.


2. Sunrise and Trademark Claims Process

The Sunrise Period is a mandatory launch phase that a registry is required to implement for a minimum of 30 days. KCGI's back-end registry service provider, Neustar, has extensive experience in implementing sunrise registration periods, most recently under the .CO TLD.

The Trademark Claims process is tied into both the Trademark Clearinghouse and the Sunrise Period and is also a mandatory RPM that is intended to provide ʺclear noticeʺ to a potential registrant(s) if he/she attempts to secure a domain name that matches a trademark that is registered in the Trademark Clearinghouse. Though only required by ICANN to implement for 60 days during open registrations, KCGI believes that implementing the service over the life of the registry will prove to be an effective tool in reducing the number of bad-faith registrations and other cases of abuse in the ".kyoto" TLD. KCGI's back-end provider, Neustar became the first TLD with a Trademark Claims service with the launch of the .BIZ TLD in 2001 and KCGI plans to work closely with Neustar to ensure the service is run smoothly.

The sunrise implementation process is described in more detail above, and in response to Question 29: Rights Protection Mechanisms. More information about the implementation of the Trademark Claims process can be found in answer to Question 29: Rights Protection Mechanisms.


3. Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP)

The UDRP is an ICANN Consensus Policy instituted by ICANN in 1998. The UDRP provides trademark holders an alternative method to resolve domain name disputes. KCGI will monitor UDPR decisions regarding domains in the ".kyoto" TLD and take the necessary steps to ensure that decisions rendered by ICANN approved service providers, such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), are correctly implemented by its registrars. In the event that the registry is notified by a trademark owner that a registrar failed to implement a decision KCGI will investigate the claim and take action by either notifying the registrar of its obligations or by proactively implementing the decision itself.


4. Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS)

During the planning and policy discussion that took place in the past few years regarding the New gTLD Program, trademark owners identified that the UDRP may not be the most cost effective means to protecting trademark owners rights when hundreds of new TLDs are in operation. Furthermore, the majority of UDRP cases were clearly cases of cybersquatting, however, the UDRP did not produce immediate results. The URS is the result of many discussions with rights holders and offers a more cost effective and speedy mechanism for trademark owners to enforce their rights.

The URS requires a greater deal of participation from the registry than the UDRP and KCGI is fully aware of the requirements involved in the URS.

According to the current draft procedures, KCGI will lock the name within 24 hours or receipt of the complaint from the URS provider in order to ensure the name is not transferred or deleted and to restrict all changes to the registration data. The name will continue to resolve as normal at this point.

Once a determination has been made, and the URS provider has received notification of such a decision, KCGI will act accordingly to implement the determination. Therefore, in the event of a decision for the complainant (trademark owner), KCGI will immediately suspend the name in accordance with the policy, currently for the balance of the registration period. Additionally, the name will no longer be allowed to resolve to the original website, thus the registry will change the name servers to redirect to an informational page provided by the URS provider.

Finally, KCGI will take steps to ensure that the WHOIS information appropriately reflects the current status of the domain name. In doing so, KCGI will leave all the original registration data, except for the nameservers, in place, and clearly reflect that the domain name cannot be transferred, deleted, or modified for the remainder of the registration period.

The current draft policy states that there shall be an option for a successful complainant to the extent the registration period for one additional year at commercial rates.

Additional details regarding the implementation of the URS can be found in response to Question 29: Rights Protection Mechanisms


5. Other Rights Protection Mechanisms

KCGI will fully comply with the Trademark Post-Delegation Dispute Resolution Procedure (PDDRP) adopted by ICANN as described in the new gTLD Applicant Guidebook and Specification 7 of the Registry Agreement and other rights mechanisms approved and implemented by ICANN.


i. How will multiple applications for a particular domain name be resolved?

Multiple applications for names under the Founders Program will be handled by objectively reviewing the application against the criteria set forth in the RFP. At which time, the Registry shall make a final selection based on how well each applicant fulfilled the evaluation criteria.

KCGI proposes the implementation of an auction mechanism to handle competing applications in both the Sunrise as Landrush periods. The auction method is a fair way to solve the issue of competing applications because it allows the users to suggest the value they get in return for the domain name by bidding. Conversely, a traditional first-come, first-served model does not infer the value the winner gets if awarded the name.

Settling competing applications though an auction mechanism is more desirable than a first-come, first-served method due to a number of other factors; for example, sunrise applicants (trademark holders) should not have to rush to submit an application for a domain name. If an applicant is forced to try to be first in line, the applicant will be more likely to submit a registration request through multiple registrars. This causes a sub-optimal use of energy on behalf of the applicant, and causes unnecessary work on behalf of the registrars and registry. Another important factor in KCGI's decision to settle competing applications through an auction mechanism is due to the assumption that the highest bidder has more desire for the name, therefore, the winning applicant is likely provide more utility to Internet users.


ii. Explain any cost benefits for registrants you intend to implement.

The registry will allow local governments of protected geographic names (both local and international) the ability to register their names during a period of no less than a year. This will ensure that they have first rights to register their names for a minimal cost from an ICANN accredited registrar rather than have to dabble in the speculative markets.

As stated above, the registry will handle competing applications in the Sunrise and Landrush periods by implementing an auction mechanism. The auction mechanism is a fair way to solve the issue of competing applications. A traditional first-come first served mechanism will create more load for registrars as one prospective registrant may choose to place the same application for a domain name through several registrars. Additional issues with the first-come, first-served model in that there may be disputes of which registrar's connection hits the registry first for a certain name.

An auction at the early stages of a registry will benefit registrants by allowing them to purchase the domain name for much less that the cost that they would incur in the domain aftermarket. Furthermore, an auction will allow the users to place a unique value on the domain name. It can be assumed that the bidder who places the higher bid places a higher value on the domain name, and therefore will be more likely to develop the domain name to be beneficial for Internet users.


iii. Do you intend to make contractual commitments to registrants regarding the magnitude of price escalation?

As stated in draft Registry Agreement in the New gTLD Applicant guidebook, the ".kyoto" registry will commit to only adjusting prices based on market conditions. The issue of price increases will be adequately reviewed on a biannual basis. KCGI will provide advanced written notice regarding any price adjustments in accordance with the new gTLD Registry Agreement.

Introduction

The Registry, The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics (KCGI), will implement strict policy restrictions concerning the registration and use of geographic names under the ".kyoto" top-level domain and will work closely with the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) and the governments of Japan and Kyoto to ensure that the geographic names are adequately protected.


Two-Letter Domain Names

Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) are two letter strings on the right side of the dot that correspond to the two-letter country codes for each country listed on the ISO 3166-1 list. The registry will, at no cost of governments or public authorities, initially reserve all two-letter characters strings, inclusive of the country code names as defined on ISO 3166-1 and mandated by the New gTLD Registry Agreement (see Specification 5).

Use of two-letter strings as second level registrations in the ".kyoto" TLD will be permitted after the Registry reaches an agreement with government and country-code TLD managers and receives express written authorization from ICANN for the release and use of two-letter strings.

At its discretion, the Registry will propose usage of a limited number of two-letter strings for domain names that include, but are not limited to; company names, brand names, meaningful words, partial phrases, or local abbreviations. The Registry will inform each ccTLD manager and/or applicable government of its proposal to use such a name and reach an agreement with the ccTLD manager and/or applicable government before such a name is registered for use.


Country and Territory Domain Names

In addition to the initial reservation of two-letter country codes pursuant to the ISO-3166-1 list, the Registry will initially reserve country and territory names contained on the following internationally recognized lists:

　• ISO 3166-1 lists (including country, territory name, and its short form name in English)
　• The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names Technical Reference Manual
　　for the Standardization of Geographical Names, Part III Names of Countries of the World
　• The List United Nations member states in 6 official United Nations member states in 6 official
　　United Nations languages prepared by the Working Group on Country Names of the
　　United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names

The Registry will cooperate with ICANN and the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) to expand such a list of reserved/protected geographic names at the second level should be required. Additionally, the list will expand according to updates in any of the lists listed above.

The release of names will not occur until after a minimum of at least one full year of operations. The release of geographic names will only occur upon reaching an agreement with applicable government and receiving express written authorization from ICANN.


Procedure for Registration of Geographic Names by Relevant Authorities

During the reservation period, the Registry will allow the relevant governments/ authorities to register their country name, or short form English name under the ".kyoto" TLD as a second level registration. The opportunity for such registrations will not be shorter than one year and will be available for governments until the Registry reaches an agreement with the GAC, relevant governments and/or ccTLD managers for the release of such names. Upon reaching such an agreement, the Registry will notify governments of the registration deadline 3 months prior to the release of geographic names.

The process for registering a country name or its English short form equivalent as a second level domain name in the ".kyoto" TLD for a relevant government authority is as follows:

　1. The Government or relevant authority contacts the GAC Secretariat with the requested domain name and beneficiary information
　2. The GAC Secretariat will ensure the authenticity of such a request and forward the request to the Registry.
　3. The Registry will verify the availability of the requested domain name, notify ICANN of the registration.
　4. Once confirmed by ICANN, the registrant government or beneficiary will then be able to register the
　　through an ICANN-Accredited Registrar that has executed the Registry-Registrar Agreement with the Interlink.


Names of Japanese Prefectures

The Registry will reserve, at not cost to local governments, the subdivision name (prefecture name) listed on the ISO 3166-2:JP list. Furthermore, the Registry will work in conjunction with the Japanese Ministry of Communications and the Government of Kyoto to reserve any additional names as deemed necessary to protect geographic names for Japan.

The release of such names will occur after reaching an agreement with the local and national governments and the release of names will occur no earlier than one full year of operations.


Abuse of Geographic Names

After the release of geographic names governments can submit a complaint directly to the registry for a domain name that is not in compliance with the nexus requirements. The registry will review the complaint, evaluate the usage of the name, and follow all procedures and timeframes notated in the Nexus Requirement Policy.