Dot Asia (.asia) is a new top-level domain (TLD) approved by ICANN in the end of 2006 for registration exclusively in Asia-Pacific region. The pre-registration process was started in January, 2008, and formal application for registration began on February 20^th, 2008.

Not a while after the TLD’s open registration, a well-known domestic Internet marketing company had preemptively registered the domain of nipponpaint.asia under the name of a natural person. As its permanent legal counsel of Nippon Paint, Mr. Chambers Yang sent a letter of attorney to the domain owner, and then initiated an arbitration claim concerning the domain name on behalf of Nippon Paint to Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Center pursuant to the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, demanding a transfer of the nipponpaint.asia to Nippon Paint. Recently, the Center supported the complainant’s demand, and the domain was transferred to Nippon Paint in compliance with the award. It is known that this is the first domestic case of transfer of preemptive registration of TLD of .asia.

Some companies choose to purchase domain names preemptively registered by others, which not only costs a lot but also feeds the arrogance of whoever conducts preemptive registration. Retaking a company’s domain name by means of arbitration of domain name is economical and feasible with not a long period.