Ainu Association of Hokkaido

To realize a society in which the ethnic pride of the Ainu people is respected and to contribute to the development of diverse cultures in our country, by the implementation of measures for the promotion of the Ainu traditions and culture from which Ainu individuals find their ethnic pride (hereafter referred to as "Ainu Traditions"), the spread of knowledge related to Ainu Traditions, and the education of the nation (hereafter referred to as "The Promotion of Ainu Culture"), in light of the situation Ainu Traditions are currently placed in.

1.  Definition of Ainu culture
   "Ainu Culture" means the Ainu language and cultural properties such as music, dance, crafts, and other cultural properties which have been inherited by the Ainu people, and other cultural properties developed from these.
    
2. Responsibilities of the national and local governments
   (1) The national government must make efforts to implement measures for promotion of Ainu culture.
   (2) Local governments must make efforts to implement measures to promote Ainu culture in accordance with the social situations of their respective areas.

The national and local governments should respect the autonomous spirit and ethnic pride of the Ainu people in the implementation of the measures to promote Ainu culture.
The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology are required to establish the Fundamental Policy for measures to promote Ainu culture. Local administrative bodies, appointed by national government ordinance, should establish the fundamental program for measures to promote Ainu culture, in accordance with the Fundamental Policy.
The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will appoint only one corporation in the country, and recognize this corporation as proper to carry out the duties concerning the promotion of Ainu culture.
Provisions concerning the abolishment of the Hokkaido Ex-Aborigines Protection Act and the Asahikawa Ex-Aborigines Protection Land Disposition Act shall be established.
This law will be enforced from a date which shall be provided by government ordinance within 3 months from its promulgation.

Further, the following supplementary resolution was adopted upon the enactment of this law, by the unanimous vote of the Cabinet Committees of both the House of Councilors and the House of Representatives.

• Supplementary Resolution to the Legislative Bill for Law for the Promotion of Ainu Culture and the Dissemination and Advocacy of Knowledge in respect of Ainu Traditions.
  (Cabinet Committees of the House of Councilors and the House of Representatives)

Referring to the historical and social circumstances in which the Ainu have been placed, the Government should take appropriate measures toward the following matters, in order to further national understanding regarding the promotion of Ainu culture,
- Make efforts to sufficiently respect the autonomous spirit and reflect the will of the Ainu in measures for the realization of a society in which the ethnic pride of the Ainu is well respected
- Provide further support for the promotion of Ainu culture, respect for the ethnic pride of the Ainu and for the development of diverse cultures in our country
- Make efforts regarding the advocacy of Ainu human rights and raise awareness of these people, and to take the necessary measures, respecting the ratification of the "Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination" and the spirit of the "U.N. Decade for Human Rights Education" etc.
- Make efforts to disseminate knowledge about Ainu traditions including the indigenous nature of the Ainu, which is a historical fact.
- To continue to expand support for the existing Hokkaido Utari Welfare Measures