Leading Japanese ISP Offers Customized Thunderbird Email Client as a Free Add-On Service

August 30, 2006; 02:44 AM
Internet Initiative Japan Inc., one of Japan's leading Internet access and network solutions providers, announced it will begin free distribution of the Mozilla Thunderbird(TM) e-mail client with the world's first XML-based policy control mechanism. The service will be made available to individual users of IIJ's Internet access services IIJ4U and IIJmio starting August 30, 2006.

This distribution will be bundled with add-on features (*1) that are customized for IIJ4U and IIJmio customers.

This customized version of Thunderbird and the add-on features were developed in cooperation with Mozilla Japan (a limited liability non-profit mutual benefit corporation), and they were customized to be compliant with the anti-spam measures promoted by the Japan E-mail Anti-Abuse Group (JEAG) (*2). When IIJ users connect using this customized version of Thunderbird, the mail server address, port number, and other pieces of information will already be configured. Upon entering only a minimum amount of data, such as a user name, users can connect to the IIJ mail server using Thunderbird. Thunderbird users can also download add-on features to easily expand the available features and customize the application.

Thunderbird makes e-mail much safer for customers while simultaneously using the anti-spam programs offered by ISPs.

IIJ will continue to improve its services and give customers the most user-friendly and secure mail environment possible.

(*1) Add-on Features: A method of adding new features to the Firefox and Thunderbird applications. These are like mini-programs that provide more functionality than simple plug-ins.

(*2) Japan Email Anti-Abuse Group (JEAG): Established in March 2005 by Japan's telecommunications industry to examine anti-spam technology. The group consists of major ISPs, mobile telephone carriers, and other companies. They have published three advisory papers and promote anti-spam programs.

About Mozilla Thunderbird(TM)

Thunderbird is a open-source, free e-mail client application developed by the Mozilla Project. It has superior security features including built-in, self-teaching spam filters and phishing detection and alert features. It also uses the much touted Ajax (*3) to provide the benefits of asynchronous e-mail operation.

(*3) Ajax: An abbreviation for asynchronous JavaScript and XML. It is a technology that uses the built-in JavaScript class XMLHttpRequest to implement asynchronous transmissions that perform convenient functions.

About IIJ

Founded in 1992, Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ, NASDAQ: IIJI, Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers: 3774) is one of Japan's leading Internet-access and comprehensive network solutions providers. IIJ and its group of companies provide total network solutions that mainly cater to high-end corporate customers. The company's services include high-quality systems integration and security services, Internet access, hosting/housing, and content design. Moreover, the company has built one of the largest Internet backbone networks in Japan, and between Japan and the United States. IIJ was listed on NASDAQ in 1999 and on the Mothers market of Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2005. For more information about IIJ, visit the IIJ Web site at http://www.iij.ad.jp/en/.