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The Japan Racing Pigeon Association: An Interview with Vice President Uchida
By Dallas Kenny
(Interview translated by Megumi Sunako)
My first contact with pigeon racing in Japan was purely coincidental. My wife Megumi’s parents were visiting from Yokohama in the Spring of 1997 and, after seeing the sights in southern California (where I then lived), my father-in-law, Kenma Sunako, decided to video tape "a day in the life" of an American pigeon racer (that would be me).
He recorded the activities of our southern California-based Orange 395 Club on shipping night and, being very pleased with the results, asked if there was anything he could do for us upon his return to Japan. Being one to quickly exploit such opportunities, I immediately asked him to see if there were any pigeon racing organizations in Japan and, if so, to send me one of their publications.
In a couple of weeks I was the happy recipient of a thick, glossy magazine with a full-color photo of a champion racing pigeon on its cover. Entitled The Racing Pigeon, it was full of stories and race results – but all in Japanese! Kenma had also called up the editors and told them about the racing scene in Orange County, California. Soon afterwards, the magazine’s chief editor asked me to write an article about our club and pigeon racing in America. This was written by me and dutifully translated into Japanese by my reluctant wife, Megumi.
Later, while visiting Asia, I was invited to stop by The Racing Pigeon office which, as it turns out, is located in the headquarters of its publisher, the Japan Racing Pigeon Association (JRPA) in Tokyo. After a small ceremony where "friendship gifts" were given to JRPA officials on behalf of the Orange RPC, JRPA Vice President Shinji Ushida graciously arranged to have me visit the lofts of leading flyers in the Tokyo area (see Racing in Asia Series #2-4) and to visit the sight of the JRPA’s annual International One Loft Race (see "Asia’s Big One: The Japan International One Loft Race" in the next issue of the Digest).
I believe it is important for American flyers to stay in touch with developments in Japan, not just because many American birds are sold there, but because foreign participation in this prestigious international race in Japan is currently monopolized by European and Asian countries. Our birds, which have done so well in South Africa and other international competitions, are not represented at all.
Interview
The following is a brief report on pigeon racing in Japan, as seen through the eyes of JRPA Vice President Shinji Uchida.
Q. Can you give us some background on the JRPA?
The JRPA is the larger of Japan’s two national Racing Pigeon organizations. We have about 24,000 members. The other group, the Nihon Densho-Bato Kyokai [Japan Messenger Pigeon Association] has about 2400.
Last year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the JRPA, which was founded in 1947. Back then we had only about 400 members. We know that other homing pigeon groups existed as early as the late 1800s and that messenger pigeons were used by Japan’s military for communications during World War One and Two. Japan, like other countries, used homing pigeons in mobile lofts during the Second World War.
Between the two great wars, newspapers also used homing pigeons as news couriers by strapping cylinders onto their backs for messages. During this period, some breeding was done to improve the quality of the birds, which resulted in numerous Japanese strains, such as the "Nanbu" and "Imanishi" strains. But these were bred for their homing ability rather than for speed. Organized racing never took-off in a big way until the JRPA as founded after World War Two.
The JRPA is a member of the Asian Racing Pigeon Federation, which includes Taiwan, Thailand, The Phillipines, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and South Korea. I just returned from an unofficial visit with the Vice President of China’s national racing association in Shanghai. We would like to promote friendly relations with China’s pigeon racing organization, but they cannot join the Federation because of China’s dispute with Taiwan.
Q. You mentioned the Asia Racing Pigeon Federation. Do you race across national borders here like they do in Europe?
We sponsor the annual International One Loft Race, which everyone in the world is invited to participate in. But this is held inside Japan. The only Japanese races that cross borders are certain races from Seoul or Puson in Korea to Osaka, Japan, which are organized by local Japanese organizations. But I know of no Korean clubs that release birds in Japan. Japanese flyers also participate in races held in Taiwan and Thailand.
Q. When in China, I noticed that there were many racing lofts on the balconies of high-rise apartment buildings. In America we have a lot of backyard flyers. Where do Japanese flyers build their lofts?
In Japan, there are virtually no pigeon lofts in apartment buildings, though occasionally someone who owns a large residential building may have a loft on the roof. Backyard lofts are rare in the cities, but are sometimes found in the suburbs. It’s not uncommon to find them on houses or built on top of garages.
There are no ordinances against pigeon raising in Japan, but neighbors reserve the right to call municipal Departments of Public Health, which can issue warnings about noise, feathers, and so on. You are then given a chance to correct the situation before action is taken. But this is one reason that people are quitting pigeon racing, it’s just getting more difficult to fly in such crowded areas.
Generally speaking, if your loft has been in the same city location for decades, you’re OK. But once you quit and want to start-up again, you virtually have to buy a new house in the suburbs before you can build a new loft.
Q. So there’s been a decline in the number of flyers in Japan?
A. Not really an outright decline. In fact, our membership has been about the same for a couple of decades. But when you consider that the population has grown, and that our members are getting older and older, membership must inevitably start to decline. It’s definitely NOT increasing.
Q. There’s been a lot of debate in the US on how to stop the decline of the sport. What are you doing in Japan?
A. We live in an urban environment today that discourages participation. That’s the reason why so many kids are hooked on computer games. It’s not that they no longer love birds and animals – they still do – but living arrangements and the neighborhood situation prevent it.
But we must try, so one thing we do is go out to the schools. Here in Japan, there is often a small zoo in the schoolyard for farm animals such as chickens and rabbits. Our club members go in and suggest adding pigeons. Sometimes we are able to start a pigeon-racing club at the school and the kids’ racing loft is built right there in the schoolyard.
I don’t think you can say that kid’s interest in the sport is falling off only because of computer games. Today’s generation in Japan is busier with school related activities and in studying for college entrance exams than we used to be. We just conducted a survey on the average age of our flyers. The official results aren’t in yet, but the typical age is assumed to be between 50 and 60. Flyers in their 40s would be considered young.
Q. How do you calculate speed in Japan?
A. Meters [approx. one yard] per minute.
Q. How much is your annual JRPA dues?
A. Dues are 7000 Yen (about $70.00) per year. This includes 12 monthly issues of our monthly magazine [The Racing Pigeon] and postage. Some local clubs may have additional dues assessments.
Q. What kind of clocking system is used in Japan. In the US, many clubs are migrating over to the new electronic systems.
A. Nobody that I know of uses electronic clocking in Japan. About 90 percent use wind-up clocks and the other 10 percent use Junior or Benzing digital timers. However, our International Race loft does use an electronic clocking system.
Q. What is the structure of the JRPA?
A. The Japan Racing Pigeon Association is broken down into 57 divisions across the country called Renmei. These divisions consist of 455 blocs called Rengo. Each Rengo is further broken down into informal clubs of 5-10 members each.
Q. Are most Young Bird raced from a single loft, or from multiple lofts like for Old Birds?
A. The International One Loft Race is the only single loft young bird race in Japan. [see next issue of the Digest for details]
Q. How many staff do you employ in the JRPA.
A. There are 9 administrators, 5 editing staff at the Racing Pigeon magazine and 2 pigeon veterinarians who stop by our clinic in Tokyo twice a week [The second floor of the JRPA building houses a racing pigeon clinic].
Q. What month are YBs/OBs usually raced? Is this decided by the JRPA or by local clubs?
A. Both young and old birds are raced together in the Fall, but the race results are figured separately. The schedule varies somewhat according to the weather and the membership of various blocs. The International One Loft Race schedule runs from September to May or June. Unlike Taiwan, where races always take place on a strict calendar, Japanese races are often postponed or cancelled because of bad weather.
In the Kanto area [which includes several prefectures including the Tokyo area], we have only 4 young bird races in the Fall. These are held every other week.
Q. What’s a typical breeding and racing schedule?
A. In the Kanto area, which is located in the eastern part of Japan’s main island, Honshu [and includes Tokyo], most people start pairing birds as early as February in order to get two rounds by the end of May. We prefer breeding in the spring to prevent stunted growth of the young. These will be ready for the young bird races in September and October, and for the OB races the following Spring.
Many races are sponsored at the Renmei level.
A typical medium distance race could have the following number of birds:
Tokyo Renmei 6,000
Saitama Renmei 10,000
Kanto Area [5 Renmei] 50,000
The fee for entering birds in a race is 500 Yen [approx. $5.00] per bird/per race.
Q. What is your method for counter-marking birds on shipping day?
A. In Japan we use two rubber bands, one for the race ID, the other is put on just before basketing. One band must include the bird’s permanent number. Both bands must be put in the clock when the bird returns from a race. We do not stamp numbers on wings like in Belgium and China.
Q. What about training?
A. Regional divisions [Renmei] organize at least two or three training truck shipments before the race season. After that, members may use their own cars on the off weeks between races. Training trips are impossible during the week here because of work and traffic. It’s always on the weekends.
Q. From which countries are most birds imported?
A. Belgium and Holland.
Q. Which system is most used – Dark or Light? What about natural vs. widowhood?
A. The number of flyers using light systems in Japan is very few. Most fly natural because of time constraints, but some use widowhood.
Q. What are the biggest obstacles for pigeons in the skies of Japan?
A. Wires, hawks, air pollution and radar.
Q. What kinds of prizes do you have for races in Japan?
A. Because gambling is illegal in Japan and money prizes can be considered gambling, such awards are referred to here as "incentive awards". On the lower levels there is a pooling system, but the big pay-outs are accomplished by our keeping the winning birds, buying their offspring for the amount of the advertised "prize", and giving this amount to the winner.
The clubs, blocs and divisions who sponsor races determine the prizes. For example, the East Japan Championship Race, which has 20,000 OBs and YBs in a single 1000 kilometer race, offers an award of 500,000 Yen [about $5000].
Q. What is the longest course flown in Japan?
A. The longest race for the Tokyo area is 1100 kilometers from Hokkaido [Japan’s northern most island] which goes over water and mountains. Since this sea strait is so broad – much wider than the English Channel – many birds are blown off course and are later found in Canada and even Siberia.
Q. I noticed a huge loft that occupies the whole top floor of your JRPA office building here in Tokyo. Do you race out of this loft?
A. Until three years ago, it used to be the site of our One Loft International Race, which is now held in Yasato [outside of Tokyo]. The birds that are in the loft now belong only to the JRPA. It is now used only for breeding from champion birds. These are sold to our members at discount prices as part of our mission to improve racing strains for the benefit of members and the sport.
You can find more information about the JRPA on the World Wide Web at pigeonrace.com/RaceJapan
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