Popping out of silent lurker mode to ask a few questions of this knowledgeable, international group. I'm not sure I know how to ask the questions I need, but here goes.

Basically, I'm trying to get a sense of the FCI's significance and place in the showing, breeding, standardization, and international recognition of "national" breeds, especially the less common Nihon ken or more recent entries (within the last decade) such as the Jindo (@ayk).

Are all the Nihon ken officially recognized by the FCI? From what I can see, yes...
Shiba (1992), Kai (1994), Hokkaido (1994), Kishu (1994), Shikoku (1995), Akita (2001), American Akita (2005).
Japanese Spitz was the earliest entry under Japan, 1987.
However, no entries for the Ryukyu ken, Japanese terrier, etc.

Is there a sense that FCI recognition of a breed confers legitimacy or prestige? How is the FCI regarded differently amongst European, Asian, or North American breeders?

Were any of the Nihon ken accepted on a "Provisional Basis" before earning full recognition? I'm trying to unpack what this means. How comparable is it to the AKC Foundation Stock Service program, for example? What kind of record-keeping does Provisional Basis require, how is it ultimately determined that a dog moves from Provisional Basis to full recognition, so that they are eligible for CACIB (International Champion of Beauty) awards?

If these questions are too broad, my apologies. I realize the FCI is a fairly large organization that does many things -- navigating its website is like stumbling through foreign territory to me. I'm asking you guys for help because I wanted specifically to get a sense of how the FCI fits into the purview of Asian dog breeding programs, especially those that necessarily have to rely on complex, cross-Pacific or transcontinental networks.

Thank you so much in advance.