World Union of the Akita Clubs (WUAC)
Minutes of the General Assembly 2010
Date: October 1, 2010
Place: Laško, Slovenia
Attendants
Austria (Österr. Club für Nordische Hunderassen und Schlittenhunde)
Mr. Franz Zimmermann
Ms. Angela Dohnal
Brazil (Club Paulista do Akita)
Proxy to Japan
Finland (Akita Club of Finland)
Proxy to Japan
Germany (Akita Club, e.V.)
Mrs. Angelika Kammerscheid-Lammers
Italy (Club Italiano Razze Nordiche (CIRN) – Akita Section (SAKI))
Mr. William Ferrari
Ms. Annalisa Ferrari
Mr. Roberto Gioffre
Mexico (Union Canofilo Mexicano Japones, A.C.)
Mr. Masanori Fujimoto
Mrs. Reiko Fujimoto
Netherlands (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Akita Inu’s)
Proxy to Germany
Norway (Norsk Akita Klubb)
Ms. Britt Nyberg
Poland (Spitz and Primitive Types - Zwiazek Kynologiczny w Polsce)
Proxy to Germany
U.S.A. (Japanese Akita Club of America)
Mr. Jim Sjoberg
<Japan> (Japan Kennel Club)
Mr. Takahiro Miyagawa
Special Guests Dr. Sophia Kaluzniacki (U.S.A.)
Dr. Ina Pfeiffer (Germany)
Interpreter Mr. Yoshiaki Shimazu (Japan)
Secretariat Mr. Yuji Ueda (Japan)
Absents Belgium (Belgian Association of Akitas and Allied Japanese Breeds)
Colombia (Asociacion Colombiana del Akita)
Czech (Czech Republic Akita Club)
France (Club Français des Chiens Nordiques et des Spitz du Japon)
Hungary (Hungarian Akita Club)
Israel (Israeli Spitz Dog Club)
Sweden (Swedish Akita Club)
In the beginning of the Assembly, the WUAC secretariat informed the attendees that Mr. Takemi Nagamura, President of the WUAC could not attend this Assembly resulting from important meetings he must attend which unable him to leave Japan, and Mr. Takahiro Miyagawa, former Vice President of the JKC attended in his stead.
Due to the absence of President Nagamura, Mrs. Angelika Kammerscheid-Lammers, Vice President of the WUAC chaired the Assembly and declared opening of the General Assembly 2010 in accordance with the Articles of Union.
Mrs. Kammerscheid-Lammers welcomed all the attendees, and asked for the cooperation for the smooth Assembly. Continuously, she informed of the passing of Mr. Lutz Lammers, former President of the German Akita Club in April last year and also of Mr. Izumi Awashima, Director of the WUAC this past September. Everyone stood up and observed a moment of silence in remembrance of them both.
Continuously, delegates from respective member countries were confirmed. Out of 18 member countries, 7 countries (Austria, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Norway, the United States and Japan) were present. Brazil and Finland delegated their respective proxies to Japan, and Netherlands and Poland delegated their proxies to Mrs. Kammerscheid-Lammers from Germany. 7 countries (Belgium, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Israel and Sweden) are absent. Ms. Sylvia Exposito from Spain was invited as an observer; however, she was also absent due to circumstances.
Subsequently, the Assembly was proceeded in accordance with the agenda.
Agenda 1: Approval of the minutes of General Assembly in Budapest in October 2008
Mrs. Kammerscheid-Lammers tabled the minutes of the last General Assembly for confirmation. The minutes were approved unanimously.
Agenda 2: Financial Report in 2008 and 2009
The secretariat presented the financial report in 2008 and 2009. It was reported that France has settled their membership fees from the year 2005 up to the year 2009. As for Czech Republic and Israel, they have not paid their membership fees since 2008, and for the case in Colombia, they have never paid their membership fees ever since their joining the WUAC in 2006.
Financial report in 2008 and 2009 were unanimously approved.
Agenda 3: Issue about the current situation of the Akita Club in Czech Republic
Mrs. Kammerscheid-Lammers reported the situation of the Akita club in Czech Republic.
Although the Czech Republic Akita Club has been expulsed from the Ceskomoravská Kynologická Unie, the said club itself has been still active. Discussion on the law suite between the Czech Republic Akita Club and the Ceskomoravská Kynologická Unie has been showing some progress, predicted that the Czech Republic Akita Club may be able to join the Ceskomoravská Kynologická Unie again in the neat future. The Czech Republic Akita Club has not been paying its membership fees since 2008; however, Mr. Josef Khyn, President of the Czech Republic Akita Club promises to settle all the outstanding membership fees. In view of the above, it was agreed to wait and see the situation in Czech Republic continuously.
Agenda 4: Expulsion of Colombia from the WUAC
The Asociacion Colombiana Del Akita has never once paid the membership fees since their joining the WUAC in 2006. As the said club has not paid their membership fees for more than 4 consecutive years, in accordance with the Article 4 (6) a. of the WUAC Articles of Union, the expulsion of the said club was proposed. It was unanimously approved.
Agenda 5: Report of the research project on Sebaceous Adenitis (SA) and the future policy on the research
Dr. Ina Pfeiffer from the University of Kassel in Germany reported the research on the Sebaceous Adenitis (SA), specifically on the overall picture of this research, the genome chip and the genome scan. (See the enclosure)
As for the result of the research in the past 2 years, it has not reached the expectations due to the reasons including the followings.
① More blood sample of the SA affected Akitas are required.
② It takes a couple of years to analyze the DNA of the donated blood samples.
③ More funds are required in order to analyze with the latest facilities.
The number of the blood samples donated since 2007 are 10 from Germany, 11 from Finland, 4 from Japan, 1 from Poland and 1 from Belgium.
The past research was for investigating the cause of the SA in the genetic level, and it is expected to get the result of this analysis by the end of the year.
Currently, the WUAC subsidizes the amount of US$50 as the financial incentive to the blood sample donators. In order to collect more blood samples, it was decided that besides seeking for the blood sample donations on the WUAC website continuously, we shall also urge the WUAC member countries to donate the blood samples as well as seeking cooperation with European dog food companies for the donations.
In addition, it was proposed to donate 5,000 Euro for the future research from the WUAC, and unanimously approved.
Furthermore, attendees were requested to donate more blood samples as well as the financial donations.
Agenda 6: The future objective of the WUAC
Mrs. Kammerscheid-Lammers reported that although the Special Japanese Breeds Show has been currently held every other year in the country where the FCI European Section Show is held in conjunction with the WUAC General Assembly, the said show will be held in the central part of Europe where is convenient for the exhibitors in the future. Consequently, the next Special Japanese Breeds Show will be held in Milano, Italy in late April 2012. It was also reported that the Akita seminar will be held on that occasion.
Agenda 7: Place of the next WUAC General Assembly
Mrs. Kammerscheid-Lammers proposed to hold the next General Assembly 2012 in Milano, Italy where the next Special Japanese Breeds Show will be held, and it was unanimously approved.
She also added that instead of holding the Executive Committee meeting next year, it will be held in Milano, Italy in conjunction with the General Assembly.
Agenda 8: Any other business
・ Report on the current situation on Akitas in the United States
Mr. Jim Sjoberg, President of the Japanese Akita Club of America (JACA) reported the currently situation on Akitas in the United States.
Although the Akita still has not been divided into 2 breeds in the United States, more and more people understand the differences between those 2 breeds. Partially because of the movie “Hachi” which was released last year, the Japanese type Akita is becoming more popular. In order to avoid the mating with the American typed Akita, the JACA members currently register their Japanese typed Akita with Los Angeles branch of the AKIHO. To solve these problems, it is hoped to see the Akita to be divided into 2 breeds also in the United Sates in the near future.
There being no further business, Mrs. Kammerscheid-Lammers thanked all attendees for the lively discussion, cooperation and the helpful ideas presented for the various points and closed the meeting.
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