Japan's First People Fight to Bring Their Ancestors Home

A group called the Shibechari Tribe is taking the Japanese government to court. They want the remains of 279 of their ancestors returned to them. The tribe belongs to the Ainu people, who were the first people to live on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The case went to the Sapporo District Court on September 4, and it could be a turning point for indigenous rights in Japan.

The Ainu lived on Hokkaido for thousands of years before Japan took control of the island in 1869. They lived in small villages called kotans, caught salmon from rivers, and hunted deer and brown bears. Their land was known as Ainu Mosir, which means 'Land of the Ainu.' For much of that time, they were left mostly alone, though samurai traders from southern Japan had contact with them.

When Japan modernized and took over Hokkaido, the government treated Ainu land as if no one owned it. This idea is sometimes called 'terra nullius,' a Latin phrase meaning 'empty land.' Historians say this was deeply unfair, because the Ainu had lived there for generations. The Hokkaido Ainu Association says colonization had 'a catastrophic effect on Ainu communities.'

Even before the full takeover, the Ainu suffered greatly. Historian Michael Roellinghoff wrote that samurai forced Ainu people into slavery at fishing sites. Ainu women were also forced into unwanted relationships with Japanese soldiers and workers. These wrongs were happening even while the Japanese government officially said it recognized Ainu land rights.

The Shibechari Tribe is focused on the remains of their ancestors, which were taken from burial sites and sent to museums and institutions. The tribe wants to bury those ancestors near the Shizunai River, which was a traditional fishing ground for their people. The remains are currently stored at the Upopoy National Ainu Museum in Shiraoi, Hokkaido. Getting them back is not just about the past — it is about honoring the belief that the Ainu came from the earth and must return to it.

Experts from around the world are helping the tribe with its case. Awi Mona, a professor from Taiwan and a member of his own indigenous group, is advising the tribe's legal team. He says the case must be seen as part of a larger history of colonialism and injustice toward indigenous people. 'The issue of indigenous ancestral remains is fundamentally a human rights issue and rooted in colonial injustice,' he said.

Ken-Ichi Ochiai, a professor at Hokkaido University, studies the Ainu and their history. He says the Ainu faced strong discrimination, especially after World War II. He has listened to many elderly Ainu women share stories of being treated unfairly because of their identity. 'There are many people who keep their Ainu heritage secret because they don't want to be discriminated against,' he said.

The Ainu were only officially recognized as an indigenous people of Japan in 2019. A survey from 2017 counted about 13,000 Ainu, down from about 24,000 counted earlier. However, experts believe many Ainu do not identify themselves publicly, so the real number is likely much higher. The Hokkaido Ainu Association is the largest Ainu group, but it represents only about 10 percent of the estimated total population.

There are signs that attitudes toward the Ainu are changing, especially among young people. A popular manga and anime series called Golden Kamuy, set in early 1900s Hokkaido, has introduced millions of readers to Ainu culture. The series ran from 2014 to 2022 and had over 29 million copies in circulation by July 2024. It was also made into a successful live-action film, bringing even more attention to Ainu stories.

Still, advocates say there is much more work to do. Professor Mona believes Japan must first uncover the full truth of what happened to the Ainu. Then, the government must take responsibility and work to restore justice. He hopes that one day the Ainu people will be able to say openly and proudly who they are, without fear of being treated differently.