Masanobu Katoh

Country of Citizenship: Japan
Place of Residence: Potomac, Maryland USA
Email Address: mkatoh@mkatoh.net
Employer: Fujitsu Limited
For further information: Please visit www.mkatoh.net (in English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean)

Statement of Qualifications and Experience

Working for a leading information technology company (which also owns the largest Internet provider in Japan) for more than 20 years, I acquired much experience and knowledge on the management of Internet domain names and IP addresses. Also, as a representative on the Names Council of ICANN and a member of the Japanese task force on domain name dispute resolution rules, I have obtained a practical understanding and detailed knowledge of the current Internet domain name system.

Although I am not an engineer by training, my whole professional career is linked to the information technology industry. My daily work requires a profound knowledge and understanding of the Internet and its architecture. My deep interest in technology started when I first assembled a radio during my elementary school days, and I soon became an active radio amateur. When I was in high school, there was a period when I devoted my time to building basic computer circuits. Even during the period when I was in Japanese law school, I took computer programming courses at a night school where I learned COBOL, FORTRAN and assembler languages (in their very old versions).

I started to work on Internet domain names issues through several organizations during the comment process on the US Green Paper and White Paper on this subject. Participating in ICANN activities in early 1999, I have been actively involved in the domain name and number management issues both within and outside of ICANN. I am serving on the Names Council of the DNSO, representing the business constituency and the Asia/Pacific region. I also serve as a member of Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy Task Force in Japan where about a dozen experts are drafting a dispute resolution rules and regulations for JPNIC.

I work with many other international volunteer groups on electronic commerce. In January 1999, I was elected chairman of the Internet Law and Policy Forum (ILPF, www.ilpf.org), an international private sector group addressing the legal and policy aspects of the Internet and global electronic commerce. At ILPF, I work with many industry experts on critical electronic commerce issues such as electronic signature and authentication, legal jurisdiction and enforcement beyond national borders, and liability of Internet service providers and online service providers.

Since its creation in 1995, I have been actively involved in the activities of the Forum for the Global Information Infrastructure (GIIC, www.giic.org), an internationally recognized organization promoting the global information infrastructure and electronic commerce in both the public and private sectors. Since 1998, I am serving as the chairman of the Electronic Commerce Committee of the GIIC, coordinating many policy activities and producing analysis and recommendations to national and international governments. Representing GIIC, I have made numerous speeches including those in Johannesburg, New Delhi, Lyon and most recently in Kathmandu, Nepal. In mid-July, the GIIC hosted a large conference in Manila Philippine where I chaired a policy panel on electronic commerce legal issues.

Other international organizations in which I participate include: the U.S.-Japan Business Council; the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA); the International Information Industry Congress (IIIC); the Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA); and, the Alliance for Global Business (AGB).

In addition, I am a private sector member of the U.S. State Department's Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy, where I serve as co-chair of the Working Group on Intellectual Property, Standards, and Interoperability.

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ICANN Related Interests

I do not have any employment or consulting relationship with ICANN, nor do I own or invest in any ICANN-related businesses. I do have a very active, volunteer, working relationship with ICANN.

I am serving on the Names Council of the DNSO, representing the business constituency and the Asia/Pacific region. I also serve as a member of Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy Task Force in Japan where about a dozen experts are drafting a dispute resolution rules and regulations for JPNIC.

Personal Statement

Because of my background, I may be viewed as a representative of business and to some extent the intellectual property group. However, because of many volunteer positions, I view myself as a representative of much broader groups including those representing users, the public interest and academics. (As a matter of fact, I do teach some courses occasionally).

In the age of the Internet, we need to think about other possible interest groups (if we like to focus on differences) such as the level of development of the economy, income, gender, age, and level of education,. These are the open questions for all of us -- how to make the information revolution an opportunity for everybody.

I work on many volunteer activities independently from any employer or other interest group. I know that the best interest for all of them is to promote the Internet in general, not to promote it for somebodys specific short-term interest. Knowing the very public nature of ICANN, I promise that, if I will be elected as a member of the board, I work only for ICANN and the general public. For more information about my views on ICANN, please visit http://www.mkatoh.net.

Governmental Affiliation or Employment

I have never been an elected official or an employee of a government or multinational governmental entity.