The Akita Inu, a prized dog breed native to Japan’s northern Akita Prefecture, has seen a surge in global popularity recently. To address the issues of pedigree authenticity and missing paperwork, the Akita Inu Preservation Society has taken a modern approach by partnering with a technology company to introduce a reliable solution that uses blockchain technology.
Akita Inu Preservation Society’s commitment to blockchain
The Akita Inu Preservation Society has seen a significant increase in its international membership, from 300 in 2022 to nearly 500 in 2023. This increase in membership worldwide poses a challenge, especially in ensuring the safe and efficient distribution of pedigree certificates. These certificates, traditionally issued in paper form, are often lost during international shipping. Moreover, there was an incident involving forged documents in China a few years ago, which underlines the need for a more secure system.
It is important to know that the blockchain-based family tree system was jointly created by Meta Akita Inc., based in the prefecture, and the American company Heirloom Inc. Known for its robust security, blockchain technology is often used for transactions involving cryptocurrencies.
By using blockchain to distribute digital certificates, the process significantly speeds up delivery to dog owners compared to the traditional method of sending paper documents, which could take longer than two weeks.
A board member of the association, Yuki Shoji, said: “In addition to the convenience of digitalization, we hope that owners will also have peace of mind knowing that their dog is purebred.”