The Ainu in Japan: The Ainu and International Law

Abstract

This paper intends to analyze how the international law, especially international human rights instruments including the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), affects the Ainu, an indigenous people of Japan. For this purpose, chapter 1 examines the so-called Nibutani Dam Judgment, chapter 2 shows the current situation of the Ainu and chapter 3 conducts a study about the relationship between forest certification schemes and the Ainu.

Note: Authors are the members of the Committee on the Implementation of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the International Law Association (ILA). This paper is a revised version of our paper submitted to the Committee as part of the Committee's research regarding the land rights of indigenous peoples.

Keywords: The Ainu, UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Nibutani Dam Judgement, FSC, SGEC, PEFC, Japan