Dear Readers,

In Special Article, we present a report on Internet Week 2025, which was held in November 2025. The event's theme, “Challenge × Experience × Generation ー Beyond the Uncertainty with Full Stack,” embodied a forward-looking spirit of tackling uncertainty through cross-generational knowledge and experience. Organized in two parts ー Online Week and Conference Week ー the program featured 43 sessions with a total of 3,909 participants. With a notable increase in sign-ups from younger generations and an overall satisfaction rate of 96.7%, the event demonstrated how Internet Week continues to expand its reach to the next generation. Initiatives such as “#LetsTalkAtIW” also fostered active communication and networking, creating opportunities for engineers, researchers, and business professionals to engage in cross-disciplinary discussions.

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In Prologue to the Internet, we explore the evolution of mobile devices that led to today's smartphones. Even before the release of the iPhone in 2007 defined the style of modern smartphones, pioneering devices such as the IBM Simon and the Nokia 9000 Communicator had already laid important groundwork. Tracing the lineage of PDAs and mobile PCs, the article highlights how technological convergence and repeated experimentation ultimately shaped the smartphones we use today.

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In The Internet Loves You, a column spotlighting people who are active in the Internet community, we interview Mr.Yota Egusa, who plays both technical and executive roles at Sakura Internet. We look back on his journey from his early experiences with dial-up connections and participation in robotics competitions to his appointment as a corporate executive at the age of 24. Now active in the cloud and security fields, he emphasizes the importance of always asking, “Why does it work?” and shares his deep appreciation for the open culture of the Internet.

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In Pick Out!, we introduce a featured article from the JPNIC Blog. This issue highlights a participation report on the Japan–France Conference on Internet Governance 2025, which was held in October 2025. Experts from Japan and France gathered to exchange perspectives on topics such as the multistakeholder governance model and digital sovereignty. For the full article, please visit https://blog.nic.ad.jp/2025/11344/ !

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In “Talking with JPNIC Members,” a series introducing JPNIC members, we feature Mahoroba Kobo, Inc., a company based in Kanagawa Prefecture. The company is now in its 19th year since its incorporation in March 2007. The name “Mahoroba” derives from the classical Japanese Yamato kotoba, meaning “a wonderful place” or “a place worth living in” ー a concept that embodies the company's mission to make the Internet, as a virtual society, a better place for everyone. As an independent firm capable of providing consultation, software development, and network construction under one roof, the company's strength lies in its vendor-free approach-free from the constraints of any particular manufacturer-allowing it to propose the optimal solution for each client. The company's voice communication platform, Symphony Call, delivers an end-to-end system that spans from fault detection and automated telephone notification to system-level verification that a human has reliably confirmed receipt of the alert, reflecting the company's exceptionally high level of technical expertise. Another defining characteristic is its team of engineers with a deep understanding of the physical layer, centered on Layer 3, with over half of all employees being engineers. We were particularly struck by the words of President Kondo: “I want to turn engineers' personal passions into real value, and make the Internet just a little more livable.”

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In our 10 Minute Internet Course, we look back on the history and achievements of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), with a focus on WSIS+20 held in 2025. The article reviews the outcome documents from the Geneva and Tunis phases, the background to the creation of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), subsequent developments such as the IANA stewardship transition, digital cooperation, and the Global Digital Compact, and highlights key points of the WSIS+20 outcome document and the significance of making the IGF permanent—offering an overview of two decades of Internet governance and its future direction.

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You'll also find “Internet Topics,” “JPNIC Activity Reports,” “Statistics,” and more, covering developments from the past several months. If you have any comments or feedback, please feel free to contact us at jpnic-news@nic.ad.jp. Your comments are greatly appreciated!!