PSI-Japan, one of the main founder members of the Afilias conglomeration chosen to run the new .info top-level domain names will sell its entire stake in the company in response to its bungled handling of the "sunrise" registration period for trademark holders.

A study of 11,000 registered names by DomeBase.com Webmaster Bob Connor revealed that a huge number of people had managed to bypass the system and gain trademarked domains by using false trademark information. Afilias came out of the report very badly, painted as a lazy and ineffective manager

PSI-Japan is an important piece of the Afilias jigsaw and its decision to up and leave is a major embarrassment. The decision was made by its representative, Robert F Connelly, a highly-respected man in the field who also held a place on Afilias board.

Neither side has yet to release an official statement, but Mr Connelly has made no bones about the fact he is leaving through his dissatisfaction with how Afilias has dealt with the sunrise issue and with the company's failure to protect customers once the full extent of the problem was uncovered.

Apparently Afilias was either unwilling or unable to provide PSI-Japan with a list of the domain names registered during the sunrise period. While PSI-Japan is cutting ties with Afilias, it will remain a registrar for the .info domains.

Domebase.com's Connor applauds Connelly for being "an insider voice of integrity in this whole .info sunrise mess". Connelly had apparently suggested a solution to the problem but this was ignored by Afilias.

Connor continues: "This must have been a difficult decision for him. I hope that domain name customers recognise his work for them and support his registrar business. It would be nice, for once, if the 'good guy' does not have to wait for the next life to get recognition for doing the right thing."

PSI-Japan was formed in 1981 by two Americans living in Japan. It was the first domain registrar in Asia.
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