Dog Decline: Akita-Inu Population Shrinking in Japan

The Akita-inu is a dog breed native to Japan’s Akita Prefecture. Its roots can be traced back to around the 1630s, and it is believed to have originated through crossbreeding of hunting dogs with local dogs in the area. The animals are classified as “large dogs,” with an average height of around 60 centimeters and weighing between 30 and 50 kilograms.

The Akita-Inu Preservation Society, headquartered in Ōdate, Akita Prefecture, was established in 1927 to preserve the breed. In addition to having chapters in every prefecture in Japan, the organization has 11 clubs in countries including the United States, France, Russia, China, and Taiwan. The chapters and clubs issue pedigrees, hold exhibitions, and engage in other activities to promote the Akita-inu breed. Every year, AIPS compiles the number of new registrations of Akita-inu in Japan and overseas.

According to AIPS, the number of Akita-inu fell dramatically during World War II, due to military seizures, so that by the end of the war the breed was in danger of extinction, with only a few dozen left. In the years that followed, dog lovers strived to breed more Akita-inu, and by 1972 their number reached 46,225. However, after peaking that year, the total began to decline, falling to 2,038 worldwide by 2011. The underlying reasons for this included the growing demand for smaller dogs due to changes in the housing environment, and the aging of dog breeders, with no successors coming through to replace them.

The hit movie Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009), starring Richard Gere, sparked an overseas boom in Akita-inu. This helped raise the global total to 6,671 by 2017, but the decline in Japan continues. As of 2023, there are only 1,832 Akita-inu in Japan, which is less than the previous record low of 1,964 in 2011.

As displayed in Hachi, Akita-inu are very loyal to their owners, but at the same time, they are referred to as “one-owner dogs” in Japan, which is to say that they do not tend to get along well with people other than their owners. It is not uncommon for Akita-inu to be abandoned or brought to an animal shelter and put down.

The organization One for Akita, based in the city of Akita, was formed in 2018 with the aim of increasing the number of Akita-inu and stopping them from being put down. In order to raise funds to protect abandoned Akita-inu and transfer them to new foster parents or keep them at a facility for life, the organization is carrying out a fundraising campaign through October.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: An Akita-inu in Shibuya, Tokyo, at an event to commemorate the centenary of the birth of the iconic dog Hachikō, whose charms have attracted tourists from around the world. © Kazuki Oishi/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect.)