China's embassy has once again posed a question to Japan.

On the 15th, the Chinese Embassy in Japan posted on social media that Japan should face up to the rights of the Ainu minority and protect them.

As expected, this tweet once again provoked a group of Japanese right-wing netizens — but the more the Japanese get upset, the more it proves that China's embassy is speaking correctly.

Speech by China's Embassy

The Ainu are an indigenous people living in Hokkaido, the Kuril Islands, and northern Honshu. They traditionally lived by fishing, hunting, and gathering, with their own unique language, culture, religion, and way of life, which are completely different from the mainstream Yamato ethnicity in Japan.

Historically, the Ainu were widely distributed across the northern part of the Japanese archipelago. However, as the Yamato ethnicity expanded northward and implemented large-scale colonial policies, the Ainu's living space was continuously squeezed, and they even faced the fate of "disappearance."

Although the Japanese government passed the "Ainu Policy Promotion Act" in 2019, which for the first time recognized the Ainu as an "indigenous people" in law, this recognition avoided core demands such as land resource rights and the right to self-determination, instead focusing on cultural subsidies and tourism development. That is, it transformed Ainu traditional culture into tourism resources and consumable goods, avoiding the issue of returning land, which has led to long-term criticism from the Ainu people.

Ainu People

To this day, the Ainu still face serious structural discrimination and unjust treatment in Japanese society: according to a 2024 survey by the Cabinet Office, nearly 30% of Ainu people have personally experienced discrimination, and more than 20% of people nationwide and over 40% in Hokkaido admit there is prejudice against the Ainu in society.

At the same time, the family income and education level of the Ainu have long been below the national average in Japan, and they severely lack political representation — there are no reserved seats for the Ainu in the Japanese Diet. Conversely, incidents of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) members openly insulting the Ainu frequently occur.

For example, in 2023, LDP member Shiozaki Mizuki mocked the Ainu on social media, and even after public criticism, she still used "freedom of speech" as an excuse to argue.

Last December, the Japanese government postponed the revision plan of the "Ainu Policy Promotion Act" — this move further exposed Japan's long-standing avoidance and refusal to reform on the issue of Ainu rights.

Hokkaido protesters against hate speech against the Ainu

Despite repeated calls by Ainu groups and human rights organizations to strengthen anti-discrimination provisions, land restitution, and political participation, the Japanese government prioritizes national image and tourism economy over historical justice.

China's embassy raising the "Ainu issue" at this time not only hits the nerve of Japanese right-wingers but also once again confirms the view that although World War II has ended, as a former Axis power and colonial country, Japan has many sensitive points in historical and human rights issues. However, due to the U.S. protection of Japan after the war and Japan's peaceful constitution and economic development, these sensitive points have been carefully buried under the surface of a "peaceful nation" and "democratic model".

Incidents of politicians insulting the Ainu happen often, and the Japanese authorities' attitude is "acknowledge the mistake but do not punish"

However, concealment does not mean complete disappearance. Now, as China's comprehensive national strength continues to rise and its diplomatic voice grows stronger, what the Chinese embassy is doing is exposing these sensitive points that have been deliberately hidden by the U.S. and Japan under the sunlight.

From invading China, colonizing the Korean Peninsula, illegally occupying the Ryukyu Islands, to oppressing the Ainu, every time China's diplomacy speaks out, it peels off the hypocritical mask of Japan's "human rights guardian," leaving those Japanese politicians and right-wing netizens who are accustomed to double standards nowhere to hide.

This is not only a just exposure of Japan's historical crimes but also a powerful defense of international fairness and justice. The more the Japanese right-wingers jump up, the more it proves that the Chinese embassy has hit the point — the truth will eventually be revealed, and Japan's ugly history will not escape global scrutiny.



Original: toutiao.com/article/7595898829120815616/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.