Law enacted to recognize ethnic Ainu minority as indigenous people

Japan enacted on Friday legislation aimed at protecting and promoting the culture of the Ainu, an ethnic minority in northern Japan, with financial assistance, stipulating for the first time they are an "indigenous" people.The law requires the central and local governments to promote Ainu culture and industry, including tourism, in order to correct long-standing socioeconomic disparities faced by the group. But some Ainu have criticized the legislation, saying it will not do enough to reverse historical discrimination.Although the law was enacted amid a rise of global awareness about promot…READ FULL ARTICLE