We call on the City of Sapporo to take immediate action to stop hate speech against the Indigenous Ainu people in public spaces.

Public spaces in Sapporo are currently being used to spread hate speech and misinformation targeting the Indigenous Ainu people. Displays that deny Ainu Indigenous identity and praise past assimilation policies are deeply harmful to the Ainu communities and to all whom believe in equality and human dignity. We call on the City of Sapporo to ensure that public spaces are not used to spread discrimination.

In recent decades, the international community, including Japan, has begun to recognize the voices and rights of Indigenous peoples. The adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) marked an important step in this process. Yet the hate speech seen in these exhibitions appears to mock and undermine these global efforts.

These panel exhibitions are presented under the title “Let’s Learn the Historical Facts about the Ainu!” and appear, at first glance, to be educational. However, many scholars and experts have criticized their content as containing misinformation.

In December 2025, three major academic societies—the Anthropological Society of Nippon, the Japanese Archaeological Association, and the Japanese Society of Cultural Anthropology—issued a joint statement explaining:

“Research accumulated over the past 150 years in physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, as well as history and linguistics has clearly demonstrated that the Ainu are an Indigenous people with their own distinct culture and society. In recent years, however, there have been claims that misinterpret or distort this body of research to suggest that there is academic evidence denying the Indigenous status of the Ainu. These claims can be understood as hate speech—unjust discriminatory expression. As academic societies that have contributed to understanding the origins and realities of the peoples and cultures of the Japanese archipelago, we cannot overlook this situation.”

Through collaboration with academic institutions and experts, the City of Sapporo can take proactive steps to prevent hate speech and ensure that public spaces are not used to spread discrimination. These efforts would advance a society where diversity is valued and every individual is respected. Such a vision is already embedded in Sapporo’s ordinance promoting an inclusive community where all people can live together.

Sign this petition and join us in calling on the City of Sapporo to stop hate speech against the Indigenous Ainu.