Rethinking IP governance in a borderless internet
At the Japan Cloud & Datacenter Convention 2025, held on June 6 at Hilton Tokyo, Lu Heng, CEO of LARUS Ltd, delivered a keynote address titled “Portability of IP Addresses – The Next Essential Internet Development.” Speaking to a hall filled with global cloud and datacenter professionals, Lu questioned a long-standing limitation in the internet’s architecture: the administrative immobility of IP addresses.
“Today’s internet is global, but IP governance remains deeply regional,” Lu said. “This creates artificial barriers for international operations, complicates cross-border mergers, and slows innovation for cloud providers, ISPs, and telecoms.”
While IP addresses can technically be used anywhere in the world, they remain legally and administratively tied to the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) that issued them—a system Lu described as outdated in a digital economy that demands global agility.
From gatekeepers to registrars: A shift in policy
Lu’s proposal comes at a time when the foundational ICP-2 policy, which outlines how new RIRs are formed and operated, is undergoing revision. Against this backdrop, he proposed a bold restructuring: RIRs should no longer act as centralised gatekeepers but instead as neutral registrars.
Under this new framework, IP addresses would gain true portability, allowing organisations to transfer them across regions without legal or bureaucratic friction.
“This is not about removing RIRs,” Lu clarified. “It’s about reimagining their role so that they facilitate connectivity rather than restrict it. We must evolve the governance model to match the reality of a connected, borderless internet.”
Also read: IP address portability essential to ensure fair, open internet says LARUS CEO
Also read: What is a public IP address?
The business case for portability
Lu presented several key benefits of making IP addresses portable. Foremost among them, portability enables businesses to streamline global operations—especially during mergers and acquisitions—by removing region-based restrictions on IP usage. With true portability, companies can integrate infrastructure faster, reduce costs, and improve reliability.
He also highlighted the legal simplicity, improved resource distribution, and enhanced global interoperability that portability brings. In areas where registry governance faces controversy or political influence, IP portability gives businesses and users greater protection from unilateral or arbitrary decisions.
“Portability is not just a technical convenience—it’s a structural necessity for global digital resilience,” Lu said.
Safeguarding the future of the internet
Lu warned that maintaining centralised control over IP address registration could create long-term risks. He cited past incidents where registry mismanagement threatened the stability of internet services, particularly in emerging markets.
“If centralised authorities misuse their control, the consequences could fragment the global internet,” he said. “We cannot allow monopolistic governance structures to become a single point of failure for global connectivity.”
Instead, Lu argued for a model where internet infrastructure is resilient by design—decentralised, distributed, and responsive to user needs.
Also read: LARUS CEO Lu Heng on data sovereignty: Technical vs practical
Also read: Lu Heng, LARUS CEO, on AFRINIC elections: Clique control must end, decentralisation will ensure democracy
A call to policy and industry leaders
In closing, Lu called on both regulators and industry leaders to support reforms that promote true IP address portability.
“We are not short of the technology to implement this vision,” he said. “What we need is the political and institutional will to modernise governance.”
He stressed that change is urgent—not only to meet the demands of a digital-first economy but also to safeguard the openness and unity of the global internet.
“If we want to protect a free and open internet for future generations, we must act now. Portability is not optional—it’s essential.”
About the event
The Japan Cloud & Datacenter Convention 2025 was held under the theme “Japan Datacenter & Cloud 2025 and Beyond: Embracing Innovation for a Sustainable Future.” The event gathered global thought leaders to discuss Japan’s emerging role as a regional cloud and infrastructure powerhouse, with special focus on AI, green energy, and edge computing.
Lu Heng’s keynote stood out by challenging the foundational governance model of internet infrastructure, urging stakeholders to think beyond physical hardware and embrace policy reform as part of the innovation agenda.
