Topics: 2024

Basics of "RFC 1591" on TLD Delegation Principles Marked 30 Years

March 2024 marked the 30th anniversary of issuance of RFC 1591, which sets forth the principles of the Internet domain name system structures and top-level domain (TLD) delegation.

RFC 1591 requests the TLD managers to "be able to carry out the necessary responsibilities, and have the ability to do an equitable, just, honest, and competent job.", and also sets forth the following 6 requirements:

In the early 1990s, as the Internet began to be recognized useful worldwide, many TLD delegation applications were submitted to IANA. To make the situation in order RFC 1591 was written by Jon Postel, who ran IANA, and published as an Informational RFC in March 1994.

Subsequently, (re-)delegation of Country Code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) was shifted to be guided by ICP-1, which is currently followed in current IANA process as an updated version of RFC 1591 after May 1999, and Generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) shifted to be managed under a registry-registrar model based on a contract with ICANN.

However, the framework and principles set forth in RFC 1591 are still important today and remain one of the cornerstones of ICANN-led, i.e., community-led, Internet governance.

After JP Domain Name (.jp) was delegated to Jun Murai in 1986, it was operated by JPNIC based on the principles of RFC 1591 and transferred to JPRS in 2002. The decision was made with reference to the contents of RFC 1591 and ICP-1. To implement the principles of RFC 1591 and ICP-1, JPRS established JP Domain Name Advisory Committee to maintain fairness and neutrality of its JP domain name services and is continuously enhancing its DNS infrastructure.

JPRS will continue its activities to become a better domain name registry.