The is an umbrella group of which most
Hokkaidō
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
Ainu
Ainu or Aynu may refer to:
*Ainu people, an East Asian ethnic group of Japan and the Russian Far East
*Ainu languages, a family of languages
**Ainu language of Hokkaido
**Kuril Ainu language, extinct language of the Kuril Islands
**Sakhalin Ainu la ...
and some other Ainu are members. Originally controlled by the
government with the intention of speeding Ainu assimilation and integration into the
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese
nation state, it now operates independently of the government and is run exclusively by Ainu.
It was established in 1930 under the name . Since 1961 ''utari'' has been used instead of "Ainu". The group has been influential in raising public awareness of Ainu issues. The organization's name was changed back to Hokkaido Ainu Association in early 2009.
From 1964 to 1996, its executive director was
Giichi Nomura
Giichi Nomura (野村義一, October 20, 1914 – December 28, 2008) was an advocate and activist for the Ainu people of Japan. Born in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, Nomura, of Ainu descent, became a career fisheries executive. In 1960 he joined the Hokkaid ...
.
See also
*
Ainu flag
Ainu or Aynu may refer to:
*Ainu people, an East Asian ethnic group of Japan and the Russian Far East
*Ainu languages, a family of languages
**Ainu language of Hokkaido
**Kuril Ainu language, extinct language of the Kuril Islands
**Sakhalin Ainu la ...
Notes
External links
Hokkaido Utari Association
Ainu politics
Indigenous rights organizations in Asia
Cultural organizations based in Japan
Ainu organizations
Organizations established in 1930
1930 establishments in Japan
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