HOKKAIDO, Jan 14 (News On Japan) - A preview trailer has been released for the Hokkaido Fact program “Ainu and the Majority: Who Stands Up to Discrimination,” scheduled to air on January 18th, 2026, from 3:54 p.m. to 4:24 p.m., examining how the structure of thinking around discrimination is beginning to change.
The traditional framework of “majority versus minority” is being re-examined as new forms of opposition to discrimination emerge, raising questions about why citizens, scholars, and artists who are not directly affected are now taking a stand against discrimination targeting the Indigenous Ainu people.
For many years, the Ainu have faced discrimination from the majority through direct remarks, public behavior, and social media posts, with opposition to such prejudice largely viewed as the responsibility of the minority itself. In recent years, however, a new pattern described as “majority versus majority” has begun to take shape, as people who are not Ainu increasingly speak out against discriminatory speech and actions.
The program introduces citizens standing on the streets holding placards calling for an end to discrimination, scholars publicly pointing out inaccuracies at panel exhibitions containing discriminatory content, and artists using music and performance to address the issue. It asks why members of the majority, rather than the minority directly affected, feel compelled to act.
The Ainu Promotion Act, which came into force in 2019, legally prohibited discrimination against the Ainu but did not include penalties, and discriminatory attitudes have yet to disappear. Lectures and panel exhibitions that deny the Ainu’s status as an Indigenous people have continued to be held at public facilities, demonstrating how discrimination has taken on new forms.
As the national government and local authorities refrain from implementing concrete countermeasures, often citing freedom of expression, the program poses a central question: who, in today’s society, is responsible for resisting discrimination.
Source: HBCニュース 北海道放送
