Afilias Japanese Language .INFO Web Site to Support Registrations in Japan

TOKYO, JAPAN - 22 October, 2001 - Following the worldwide public launch of the new .INFO domain name earlier this week, Afilias, the .INFO registry, today announced that a Japanese language Website was available to users in Japan wanting to register names in the new domain.

The Japanese Web site, accessed through www.afilias.info, details all the information a prospective Japanese registrant needs to know, including:

· Background on .INFO
· How to register a .INFO domain
· How to find an authorized registrar
· Details of procedures to resolve conflicts over registration of domain names
· Directions for searching currently registered .INFO domain names.
· Answers to common queries

"This is another important step in ensuring that the .INFO domain -- which we are confident will become the globally preferred Internet domain of the future -- becomes embedded in Japan's Internet life," said Chairman of the Afilias Board of Directors, Mr. Richard Lindsay. "Afilias wants to make it as easy as possible for Japanese companies and Internet users to participate fully in .INFO domain name registration," he said.

More than 350,000 registered .INFO domain names, including many from Japan, became accessible through Web browsers worldwide with the October 1 launch this week. The launch also marked the opening of real-time registration. Japanese businesses and individuals requesting .INFO domain names can now have their domain name awarded within minutes through an Afilias-authorized registrar.

Names already registered with Afilias include some of Japan's best-known brands, such as Honda®, Mazda®, Sony® and uniqlo®.

"While Afilias has been encouraged by the strong response to .INFO from the Japanese market, there are still an almost unlimited number of Japanese names available for the Japanese Internet community." Mr. Lindsay said. "With real-time registration now available, Japanese businesses and individuals have no time to waste in securing .INFO domain name registrations."

Those interested in registering a .INFO domain name should contact an Afilias-authorized registrar of their choice. A list is available at: http://www.afilias.info/cgi-bin/registrar-list.cgi

About Afilias

Afilias - the registry for .INFO, the first new global unrestricted top-level domain - seeks to create the most direct and intuitive path to knowledge on the Web. Afilias is a consortium of 18 of the world's leading domain name registrars, with operations across 10 countries.

Afilias was formed in September of 2000 in recognition of the need for increased competition in the domain name space. In aggregate, the company's member registrars have registered more than 10 million domain names and collectively offer a wide range of related Internet services, including country-code domain name registrations, country-code registry operations, Web hosting, and ISP services.

Afilias' shareholders include: 1stDomain.net, a division of G+D International LLC; Corporate Domain, Inc.; Domain Bank, Inc.; DomainInfo AB; Domain People, Inc.; Domain Registrations Services, Inc.; Enter-Price Multimedia AG (EPAG); Global Media Online, Inc.; Internet Council of Registrars (CORE); Netnames International Ltd.; Network Solutions, Inc.; Registrar Operations; Polar Software Ltd. d/b/a Signdomains.com; PSI-USA, Inc.; Register.com; Schlund + Partner AG; SiteName.com LLC; Speednames, Inc.; Tucows.

Afilias maintains international headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and U.S. headquarters in Newtown, PA. For more information please visit www.afilias.info

PRESS CONTACT: Isao Imai
Hill and Knowlton Japan
Tel: 03-3288-3671
isao.imai@hillandknowlton.com.hk

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