The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Tokyo

Japan on Friday for the first time recognised the Ainu as an indigenous people, pledging to support the traditionally nature-worshipping community that has endured centuries of discrimination.

It is a landmark step for Japan, which has prided itself on being ethnically homogeneous but where the Ainu have sharply lower incomes and educational levels.

Parliament unanimously approved a resolution recognising the Ainu and calling for "immediate" support to the community. The move is primarily symbolic, although it will likely open the way for economic aid.

"We have turned a significant new page in Ainu history which we have never seen before," senior Ainu activist Tokuhei Akibe told a news conference next to the parliament building.

"This is wonderful, but still just a first step forward," said Akibe, wearing a traditional embroidered Ainu gown. "We bear a serious responsibility to make this meaningful."

The resolution comes ahead of next month's summit of the Group of Eight rich nations on the northern island of Hokkaido, home to most of Japan's estimated 70,000 Ainu.

The resolution recognises for the first time that the Ainu "are an indigenous people with a distinct language, religion and culture."