Applications / .neko / ISII2617T-T77506 · published by ICANN 7 October 2026 · snapshot 2026-10-08
.neko
StandardActiveInterlink Systems Innovation Institute K.K., JP Q1·Q25
Ultimately controlled by LOVE ALL LLC, Tadashi Yokoyama, Interlink Co., Ltd. Q108 · ICANN record ↗
The Applicant, Interlink Systems Innovation Institute K.K., is an existing Registry Operator and is also an Affiliate of another Registry Operator and an ICANN-accredited Registrar.
The Applicant is the Registry Operator for the following existing gTLDs:
1. .moe
2. .earth
The Applicant is also an Affiliate of Osaka Registry Co., Ltd., the Registry Operator for .osaka. The Applicant and Osaka Registry Co., Ltd. are under common control by Interlink Co., Ltd., which holds 100% ownership of the Applicant and 100% ownership of Osaka Registry Co., Ltd.
The Applicant is also an Affiliate of an ICANN-Accredited Registrar, Interlink Co., Ltd., operating under IANA Registrar ID 277. Interlink Co., Ltd. is the Applicant’s direct parent company and operates its ICANN-accredited registrar and domain registration services, the “Gonbei Domain” service at https://www.gonbei.jp.
The Applicant itself does not hold an ICANN registrar accreditation.
§ 1 — Meaning of the string Q118·Q120
"Neko" is the Japanese word for "cat." The term is recognized internationally through Japanese pop culture, anime, manga, social media, cat cafés, and consumer products, and used to refer to cats and cat-themed content, services, and communities.
/ne.ko/
§ 2 — Mission and purpose Q133
Interlink Systems Innovation Institute K.K. (the “Applicant”) is applying for .neko to establish a globally recognizable namespace for cat culture and cat-related activity on the Internet. The applied-for gTLD string “.neko” (/ne.ko/) comes from the Japanese word for “cat,” highlighting Japan’s cultural and linguistic heritage while connecting to the universal popularity of cats.
The mission of .neko is to offer a distinctive digital identity for individuals, organizations, businesses, and creators who wish to associate with cat culture and related interests. The Applicant will support this mission by operating the TLD as a stable, secure, open, and sustainable namespace.
The word "neko" has become part of worldwide consumer vocabulary through anime, manga, social media, cat cafés, and related products. The .neko TLD is intended as an open and distinctive, identity-focused namespace built around a shared affinity that transcends language and geography, complementing rather than duplicating existing pet- and animal-themed gTLDs.
The mission of .neko has two main components: (1) to provide registrants and users with a meaningful digital identity centered on cat culture and related interests, and (2) to operate .neko as a stable, secure, open, and sustainable namespace for long-term global use.
.neko will provide individuals and organizations with a short, memorable, and meaningful identifier for communities, information sharing, business, animal welfare, and creative activity on the web. Registration is open to all, including cat owners, shelters, rescue organizations, veterinarians, breeders, cat cafés, content creators, artists, publishers, event organizers, and pet-industry brands. Intended users are Internet users worldwide seeking cat-related content, products, services, information, adoption resources, welfare initiatives, and online engagement.
The Applicant will implement an orderly launch that includes an ICANN-required Sunrise for eligible trademark holders, an Early Access or Landrush phase as appropriate, and a General Availability launch with the applicable Claims Notification period. The Applicant will coordinate registrar onboarding, provide launch and policy materials, promote .neko through ICANN-accredited registrar and hosting/domain reseller partnerships, and conduct direct outreach to cat-related businesses and audiences.
The Applicant will manage .neko using established registry practices and operational experience gained from operating .moe and .earth under the standard ICANN Registry Agreement for over a decade. This background includes experience in DNS stability, security, rights protection, policy compliance, registrar support, and DNS abuse mitigation.
Sustainability is based on four factors: (1) cats are a lasting and global subject of interest, relevant across households, culture, social media, commerce, animal welfare, and creative activity; (2) “.neko” is short, distinctive, and culturally meaningful, providing a clear identity without restricting registration; (3) the open registration model supports a wide range of uses, including personal, commercial, nonprofit, and welfare-related purposes; and (4) the Applicant’s established registry operations provide a strong foundation for long-term TLD management.
This foundation will enable .neko to develop as a reliable, stable, and sustainable namespace that combines Japanese cultural roots with global relevance.
§ 3 — Commitments and safeguards Q164–Q188
| More trustworthy, consumer risk, regulated sector, government reporting, harm, government function Q164–Q169 | No to each |
|---|---|
| Voluntary Safeguard PICs Q170·Q171 | None · 90 applications in the round offer some |
| Registry Voluntary Commitments Q172·Q173 | None · 5 do |
| Code of Conduct exemption requested Q185·Q188 | No |
§ 4 — All other published answers
Every other answer ICANN published for this application, in the order of the form. Contact details (Q17–Q24) are left to the ICANN record.
Q199Q2.2-1 - Provide the applying entity’s self-certification document, signed by the CEO, President, CFO, and/or equivalent officer of the applying entity. If financial statements are provided by a Qualified Parent Entity (QPE) of the applying entity, the CEO, President, CFO, and/or equivalent officer of the QPE must co-sign the certification document. The self-certification document must represent and warrant: SC2.2-1.1 - As of the submission date of the application, the applying entity is a current registry operator or an affiliated entity of a current registry operator with one or more active Registry Agreements (RA). SC2.2-1.2 - The applying entity and/or a QPE will fund the startup and long-term operation of all of the applying entity’s current gTLDs and applied-for gTLD strings. SC2.2-1.3 - The applying entity and/or its officers are bound by law in its jurisdiction to represent financial statements accurately and the applying entity is in good standing in that jurisdiction.
Q2.2-1 - Provide the applying entity’s self-certification document, signed by the CEO, President, CFO, and/or equivalent officer of the applying entity. If financial statements are provided by a Qualified Parent Entity (QPE) of the applying entity, the CEO, President, CFO, and/or equivalent officer of the QPE must co-sign the certification document. The self-certification document must represent and warrant: SC2.2-1.1 - As of the submission date of the application, the applying entity is a current registry operator or an affiliated entity of a current registry operator with one or more active Registry Agreements (RA). SC2.2-1.2 - The applying entity and/or a QPE will fund the startup and long-term operation of all of the applying entity’s current gTLDs and applied-for gTLD strings. SC2.2-1.3 - The applying entity and/or its officers are bound by law in its jurisdiction to represent financial statements accurately and the applying entity is in good standing in that jurisdiction.
Answered with a document. Attachments are not published by ICANN.
Q200Q2.3-1 - Provide a document with a list of all of the applying entity’s current gTLDs and a list of all gTLDs for entities affiliated with the applying entity (if applicable).
Q2.3-1 - Provide a document with a list of all of the applying entity’s current gTLDs and a list of all gTLDs for entities affiliated with the applying entity (if applicable).
Answered with a document. Attachments are not published by ICANN.
Q220Q5.1-1 - Provide the applying entity’s self-certification document, signed by the CEO, President, CFO and/or equivalent officer of the applying entity. The self-certification document must represent and warrant: SC5.1-1.1 - The applying entity will appropriately protect confidentiality of data and prevent unauthorized access to data and services. SC5.1-1.2 - The applying entity will maintain a mature, appropriately funded and staffed security program, following a recognized, modern security framework based on risk management (such as the ISO27000 series, COBIT, HITRUST CSF, legally required security frameworks, or equivalent). The security program must be in place prior to delegation, and exist through at least the period of the registry agreement. SC5.1-1.3 - The applying entity is aware of and has designed its systems and business to comply with the relevant privacy and security regulations for all countries in which it operates.
Q5.1-1 - Provide the applying entity’s self-certification document, signed by the CEO, President, CFO and/or equivalent officer of the applying entity. The self-certification document must represent and warrant: SC5.1-1.1 - The applying entity will appropriately protect confidentiality of data and prevent unauthorized access to data and services. SC5.1-1.2 - The applying entity will maintain a mature, appropriately funded and staffed security program, following a recognized, modern security framework based on risk management (such as the ISO27000 series, COBIT, HITRUST CSF, legally required security frameworks, or equivalent). The security program must be in place prior to delegation, and exist through at least the period of the registry agreement. SC5.1-1.3 - The applying entity is aware of and has designed its systems and business to comply with the relevant privacy and security regulations for all countries in which it operates.
Answered with a document. Attachments are not published by ICANN.
Q221Q5.2-1 - Provide the applying entity’s self-certification document, signed by the CEO, President, CFO and/or equivalent officer of the applying entity. The self-certification document must represent and warrant: SC5.2-1.1 - The applying entity will, no later than delegation of the Top Level Domain (TLD), establish a dedicated abuse point of contact responsible for addressing matters requiring expedited attention and providing a timely response to abuse complaints concerning any name registered in the TLD. SC5.2-1.2 - The applying entity will, no later than delegation of the TLD, establish, publish, and provide to ICANN the location of a mechanism for members of the public to submit reports of abuse in accordance with the current obligations of the Base RA and any Consensus Policies. SC5.2-1.3 - The applying entity has developed proposed measures for removal of orphan glue records for names removed from the zone when provided with evidence in written form that the glue is present in connection with malicious conduct (see Specification 6). SC5.2-1.4 - The applying entity has or will have at time of delegation, established policies for handling complaints regarding abuse. Such policies are to be maintained and posted publicly so that anyone can review the policies via the Internet and any other means deemed appropriate by the applying entity. The applying entity’s policies at a minimum should contain appropriate confirmation of the receipt of the abuse report, the process of review of the report, and actions that will be taken if the applying entity confirms the report is legitimate. SC5.2-1.5 - The applying entity understands that DNS Abuse is Phishing, Malware, Botnets, Pharming and Spam (when used to deliver other forms of DNS Abuse). The applying entity understands and is prepared to contribute to the mitigation or disruption of DNS Abuse in domains in the TLD zone. SC5.2-1.6 - The applying entity’s abuse response capabilities are resourced appropriately to ensure a timely and adequate investigation and response to reports of DNS Abuse. This includes capabilities to receive and evaluate evidence of DNS Abuse in reports, and to take action to stop or disrupt the DNS Abuse. SC5.2-1.7 - The applying entity is prepared to conduct periodic scans of its zone to identify if domains are being used to perpetrate DNS Abuse, and to maintain statistical reports of the scans, the findings, and actions taken.
Q5.2-1 - Provide the applying entity’s self-certification document, signed by the CEO, President, CFO and/or equivalent officer of the applying entity. The self-certification document must represent and warrant: SC5.2-1.1 - The applying entity will, no later than delegation of the Top Level Domain (TLD), establish a dedicated abuse point of contact responsible for addressing matters requiring expedited attention and providing a timely response to abuse complaints concerning any name registered in the TLD. SC5.2-1.2 - The applying entity will, no later than delegation of the TLD, establish, publish, and provide to ICANN the location of a mechanism for members of the public to submit reports of abuse in accordance with the current obligations of the Base RA and any Consensus Policies. SC5.2-1.3 - The applying entity has developed proposed measures for removal of orphan glue records for names removed from the zone when provided with evidence in written form that the glue is present in connection with malicious conduct (see Specification 6). SC5.2-1.4 - The applying entity has or will have at time of delegation, established policies for handling complaints regarding abuse. Such policies are to be maintained and posted publicly so that anyone can review the policies via the Internet and any other means deemed appropriate by the applying entity. The applying entity’s policies at a minimum should contain appropriate confirmation of the receipt of the abuse report, the process of review of the report, and actions that will be taken if the applying entity confirms the report is legitimate. SC5.2-1.5 - The applying entity understands that DNS Abuse is Phishing, Malware, Botnets, Pharming and Spam (when used to deliver other forms of DNS Abuse). The applying entity understands and is prepared to contribute to the mitigation or disruption of DNS Abuse in domains in the TLD zone. SC5.2-1.6 - The applying entity’s abuse response capabilities are resourced appropriately to ensure a timely and adequate investigation and response to reports of DNS Abuse. This includes capabilities to receive and evaluate evidence of DNS Abuse in reports, and to take action to stop or disrupt the DNS Abuse. SC5.2-1.7 - The applying entity is prepared to conduct periodic scans of its zone to identify if domains are being used to perpetrate DNS Abuse, and to maintain statistical reports of the scans, the findings, and actions taken.
Answered with a document. Attachments are not published by ICANN.
Q121As per Section 3(d) of Specification 11 of the Base Registry Agreement, a registry operator of a “generic string” may not impose eligibility criteria for registering names in the TLD that limit registrations exclusively to a single person or entity and/or that person’s or entity’s “Affiliates” (as defined in Section 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement). “Generic String” means a string consisting of a word or term that denominates or describes a general class of goods, services, groups, organizations or things, as opposed to distinguishing a specific brand of goods, services, groups, organizations or things from those of others. Confirm that the applied-for string is not a “generic string” in which the applying entity intends to limit registrations exclusively to a single person or entity.
As per Section 3(d) of Specification 11 of the Base Registry Agreement, a registry operator of a “generic string” may not impose eligibility criteria for registering names in the TLD that limit registrations exclusively to a single person or entity and/or that person’s or entity’s “Affiliates” (as defined in Section 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement). “Generic String” means a string consisting of a word or term that denominates or describes a general class of goods, services, groups, organizations or things, as opposed to distinguishing a specific brand of goods, services, groups, organizations or things from those of others. Confirm that the applied-for string is not a “generic string” in which the applying entity intends to limit registrations exclusively to a single person or entity.
true
Q223By submitting this Application, the applying entity confirms that it is submitting this Application with a good faith (“bona fide”) intent to operate the gTLD for which it has applied, and that the applying entity has read and understands the provisions of Section 5.2.3.1 Prohibited Communications and Activities of the Applicant Guidebook regarding the New gTLD Program rules prohibiting certain communications and activities to prevent parties from privately resolving string contention among themselves.
By submitting this Application, the applying entity confirms that it is submitting this Application with a good faith (“bona fide”) intent to operate the gTLD for which it has applied, and that the applying entity has read and understands the provisions of Section 5.2.3.1 Prohibited Communications and Activities of the Applicant Guidebook regarding the New gTLD Program rules prohibiting certain communications and activities to prevent parties from privately resolving string contention among themselves.
true
Q224By submitting this Application, the applying entity confirms that it has read and understands the provisions of Section 5.2.3.1 Prohibited Communications and Activities of the Applicant Guidebook regarding the New gTLD Program rules prohibiting certain communications and activities to prevent parties from privately resolving string contention among themselves.
By submitting this Application, the applying entity confirms that it has read and understands the provisions of Section 5.2.3.1 Prohibited Communications and Activities of the Applicant Guidebook regarding the New gTLD Program rules prohibiting certain communications and activities to prevent parties from privately resolving string contention among themselves.
true