[registrars] Service of process abroad.

["Robert F. Connelly" <rconnell@psi-japan.com>]

Dear Louis:

Two of our staff members attended the monthly domain name study group with 
me at JPNic today.  A major part of this month's program was on Senate Bill 
S.1948 http://thomas.loc.gov/

There was considerable concern about potential criminal liability to Japanese.

I suggested that Japanese citizens should be outside the legal jurisdiction 
of U.S. Laws of this type.  The discussion then turned to civil 
actions.  It is my understanding that service of process need not be 
accepted by residents of Japan except in accordance with one of the Hague 
Conventions.  Those rules require that a legal action be served via the 
State Department, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Service by 
Registered Mail is not acceptable -- provided the respondent knows his/her 
rights.

As there may be persons on these mailing lists to whom this could be of 
interest, I suggest that any comments you have on this layman's 
understanding of these matters be sent to these lists.  Of course, you'll 
probably need to put in some exceptions about not being responsible for 
such "off hand" legal opinions;-}

Personal regards, BobC