Hamm Germany  November 11, 1998

MINUTES OF THE 2ND WORLD AKITA CONGRESS 

DATE : November 11. 1998 PLACE : Queens Hotel in Hamm Germany ATTENDANCE: Japan: Mr.Toyosaku Kariyabu, Mr. Hiroshi Kamisato, Mr.Kiichi Okukawa, Mr. Izumi Awashima America: Mr. Rita J. Biddle, Mr. Steven Lisker, Dr. Sophia Kaluzniacki, Mrs. Patricia Szymanski Brazil: Mrs. Anita Cardoso Soares, Mrs. Kenia Ballve Behr - Mexico: Mr. Masanori Fujimoto England: Mrs Meg Purnell-Carpenter, Mrs Diana Sidwell, Mr. Mike Window Norway: Mr. Eric Slettengen, Mrs Britt Nyberg, Mr. Frederik Nyberg Sweden: Mrs Margareta Sundovist, Mr. Bjorn Noven, Mrs Elisabeth Noven Finland: Mrs Paivi Urvikko-Roponen, Ms Katri Pohjanvaara - Denmark: Mr. Freddie Klindrup, Mr. Carl Jeusen Netherlands: Mrs Gerda Schaufeli, Mr. Lambert Dircks - Belgique: DR Frank Comhalre, Mrs Jecobn v. d. Luytgaarden Switzerland: Dr Susanna Kull, Mrs. Helly Vogt - Austria: Mrs. Gertrude Pinner, Mrs. W. Fatschbacher Italy: Mr. Andrea Bordone, Mr Savatore Palermo - Hungary: Mr. Miklos Farkashazl, Mrs. Zsuzsa Farkashazi Czech: Mr. Josef Khyn - France: Mrs.Shigeko Capron - Spain: Mr Javier Sanchez Fernandez German: Mr Lutz Lammers, Mrs. Angelika Kammerscheld-Lammers FCI: Dr Jean-Maurice Paschoud (President or the Standards Commission) Observer: Poland, Israel

Prior to the meeting the Honorary Chairman Toyosaku Karlyabu of the Japan Kennel Club (JKC) expressed deep appreciation to the President Luiz Lammers of the German Akita Club for his generous cooperation in preparation for the Congress and Presented him with a letter of thanks and a memorial gift on behalf of the JKC. This was followed by a few words of congratulations to participants on the holding of the Second World Akita Congress read out on behalf of JKC President Keitaku.

Agenda: I New classification between Japanese Akitas and American ones Honorary Chairman Kariyabu opened the meeting by expressing appreciation to the representatives from 19 countries attending the Second World Akita Congress and the following key note report recapping the last congress. 1 origin of country the as Japan behalf on conclusion following offered JKC discussion, above based Akitas interbred for standards classification needed also is decision and discussion early possible soon breed new name decide to wants FCI the breeds into two division announce officially Japan, origin, correct was It FCI: division. Australian: Agrees Brazil in percent 90 comprises type Japanese country (division) proposal with Brazil: Agrees classified. be will type American between crosses which according consider important it but division, Belgium: Agrees agrees England, minority a England: While Czech. breed only type Czech: Agrees favor Denmark, registered are Akitas few Only Denmark: measure. appropriate an would this through rescued if type, recognizes France: France increase percent, 25 Japanese origin country Agrees Hungary: Italy: Agrees support Finland So Percent. 80 registered, many not While Finland: Netherlands: maintained. firmly should one approach basic However, Mexico: Agrees increase. types, Norway: There Spain. help rescue This Spain: Agrees time. more little like Would stock. breeding reduce time point at existence, Akita Sweden: There breeds Switzerland: Agrees FCI. by group working classified there same confusion. At avoiding means effective Germany: used Akita'' ??American support probably ACA problematic, A champions. produce or points acquire impossible make miscellaneous fall type stock. limited because breeds, case their basis members given varieties, should whether voted need issues kind including date, information All 600. under just number who votes divided decide America: The options. countries various from participant address, keynote Kariyabu's Chairman Honorary On have". might participants views constructive wise any grateful we Congress, World second conclusions intentions consideration take Committee General June, next scheduled Assembly As Congress. first agreement well against goes reaches meeting that response September, annual discussed being matter problem no have decision. respect AKC breed, since (ACA) America Club meetings 1996) December Tokyo Division into two breeds. <2> The name and standard for the new breed will be decided in consultation with the FCI Standards Commission. How to classify crosses between the American type and the Japanese type, as well as standards in this regard, will be handled in the same way. (3) With the approval of the FCI General Committee, the issue of the splitting of the Akita will be proposed and adopted at the FCI General Assembly in Mexico in June 1999.

This conclusion was supported with overwhelming applause. The Mexican representative asked whether Mexico could accept applications for both the Akita and the new breed for the FCI World Show in Mexico in June 1999. It was concluded that this would be left to the discretion of the FCI General Committee and the FCI General Assembly. It was concluded that the new breed should be classified as the second group (working group) according to FCI classification.

Agenda II Plan for the formation of an international union Honorary Chairman Kariyabu proposed that the World Akita Congress should be held once every two years, forming a World Akita Union. It was also proposed that a European Akita Union be formed for breeding and information exchange in Europe, but because this would be a duplication, it was decided that this was not needed. Articoles of association and regulations for the world Akita Union will be discussed and decided at the Third World Akita Congress in 2000.

Agenda III Publication of booklet on Akitas in international language The booklet on Akitas Produced under JKC supervision is the most important reference work to date in regard to the history of the breed and key points in terms of Akita inspections. An English version has already been Published. and this will be translated into German and published. Measures will be taken for other official languages (French and Spanish) where necessary. Over 1O years have Passed since efforts began to standardize the Akita breed. Representatives from 13 related countries, the FCI Scientific Commission and Standards Commission met in Tokyo in December 1996 to foster common understanding between the FCI and the JKC with the active participation of all involved resulting in a valuable meeting. The outline of this has been distributed as part of today's materials. Major points of discussion were as follows: Whether to recognize one breed under a single standard (maintain current status whereby there is only one Akita breed) <2> Whether to recognize one breed and two verities <3> Whether to recognize two different breeds <4> How to handle interim cases where dog have been interbreed

As a result of this discussion, it was decided that because Japan is the historical home of the Akita. ''Akita'' would refer only to the Japanese dog with the breeding standards already set by the JKC to be observed by the FCI. However from an international perspective, participants wanted to see Japanese and American Akitas recognized as two different breeds of dog. At the same time, the JKC's basic stance is that it cannot recognize even Partial use of the name ''Akita''. The ACA expressed the view that as more than 96 percent of Akitas in America are the American type with the AKC not affiliated with the FCI at this point in time, the AKC was not bound by this decision. However, the majority of Participants felt the attention needed to be paid to the major confusion currently being caused internationally with the export and breeding of these dogs outside American and over participation in FCI dog shows.