第77回国連総会第3委員会議題65「先住民の権利」に関する賀集政府代表顧問ステートメント
令和4年10月12日
Mr. Chair,
As we are in the first year of the Decade of Indigenous Languages, let me stress the urgency to protect and to revitalize indigenous languages, which are rapidly disappearing. The Government of Japan shares the objective of the Decade of Indigenous Languages and is keen to continue to cooperate in this endeavor.
Since the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Japan has been continuing our efforts to work alongside Ainu people through protecting Ainu culture and identity. In 2008, our National Diet adopted resolutions to recognize the Ainu population as an indigenous people of Japan, which led to the Government of Japan to release a statement by the then-Chief Cabinet Secretary to recognize the Ainu population as an indigenous people and to establish the Council for Ainu Policy Promotion.
Since then Japan has been consulting with parties concerned with Ainu communities, especially with Ainu people, in order to reflect their voices in Ainu-related policies, which will comprehensively protect education, revitalize culture, and develop the economy of Ainu communities. One of the pillars of Ainu policy is the revitalization of Ainu culture. To give you a concrete example, the Government of Japan has supported an Ainu language educational program.
Besides these policies, in 2019, Japan enacted legislation on comprehensive promotion of local Ainu communities, industries and cultural exchanges through tourism. The act legally recognizes the Ainu people as an indigenous people and states its objective as “realizing a society that will respect the pride of Ainu.” The act also establishes subsidiaries to promote Ainu culture and makes special provisions so that the Ainu people can log in state-owned forests and catch salmon in rivers for the purpose of protecting and promoting their traditional culture.
Additionally, to further promote understanding of history and culture of Ainu, Japan opened the National Ainu Museum and Park “UPOPOY” as a national center for the revitalization and development of Ainu culture, on 12 July 2020. Even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, over 650,000 people have visited UPOPOY, which we believe reflects the high interest in UPOPOY and Ainu culture. We would like all of those who are attending this meeting today to visit UPOPOY when you have an opportunity and see Japan’s efforts related to indigenous people.
Mr. Chair,
The Government of Japan will keep cooperating closely with the Ainu people to achieve a society where the diversity and dignity of all individuals are respected.
Thank you.
As we are in the first year of the Decade of Indigenous Languages, let me stress the urgency to protect and to revitalize indigenous languages, which are rapidly disappearing. The Government of Japan shares the objective of the Decade of Indigenous Languages and is keen to continue to cooperate in this endeavor.
Since the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Japan has been continuing our efforts to work alongside Ainu people through protecting Ainu culture and identity. In 2008, our National Diet adopted resolutions to recognize the Ainu population as an indigenous people of Japan, which led to the Government of Japan to release a statement by the then-Chief Cabinet Secretary to recognize the Ainu population as an indigenous people and to establish the Council for Ainu Policy Promotion.
Since then Japan has been consulting with parties concerned with Ainu communities, especially with Ainu people, in order to reflect their voices in Ainu-related policies, which will comprehensively protect education, revitalize culture, and develop the economy of Ainu communities. One of the pillars of Ainu policy is the revitalization of Ainu culture. To give you a concrete example, the Government of Japan has supported an Ainu language educational program.
Besides these policies, in 2019, Japan enacted legislation on comprehensive promotion of local Ainu communities, industries and cultural exchanges through tourism. The act legally recognizes the Ainu people as an indigenous people and states its objective as “realizing a society that will respect the pride of Ainu.” The act also establishes subsidiaries to promote Ainu culture and makes special provisions so that the Ainu people can log in state-owned forests and catch salmon in rivers for the purpose of protecting and promoting their traditional culture.
Additionally, to further promote understanding of history and culture of Ainu, Japan opened the National Ainu Museum and Park “UPOPOY” as a national center for the revitalization and development of Ainu culture, on 12 July 2020. Even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, over 650,000 people have visited UPOPOY, which we believe reflects the high interest in UPOPOY and Ainu culture. We would like all of those who are attending this meeting today to visit UPOPOY when you have an opportunity and see Japan’s efforts related to indigenous people.
Mr. Chair,
The Government of Japan will keep cooperating closely with the Ainu people to achieve a society where the diversity and dignity of all individuals are respected.
Thank you.