Recognition for a People Who Faded as Japan Grew
Published
by Norimitsu Onishi on Jul. 5th, 2008 in The New York Times
This article has 2422 views
This article has 2422 views
After more than a century of cultural obliteration, the Ainu, a tribe living mostly on Japan's northern island, have finally been given official recognition by the Japanese government as an indigenous minority. The Japanese had held fast to their dogma of there being a singular race originating from their islands, thus preventing until now the passing of this legislation. The only problem is that the Japanese culture has already largely assimilated the Ainu; so much for the only other officially recognized indigenous peoples of Japan.
