アイヌへの差別的パネル展内容に秋元克広札幌市長「市の認識と違う」と表明するも、中止を求める声には“パネル展を拒むことは困難”と見解示す

Regarding the content of a panel exhibition containing discriminatory content against the Ainu people, scheduled to be held in Sapporo's underground pedestrian space in 2025, Mayor Akimoto stated at a press conference on the 11th that "it is not the city's understanding." Ainu people and supporters visited Sapporo City Hall on the 9th to protest against the city's Ainu Policy Division. Ainu Fumio Kimura "When it comes to Ainu Mosir (the land where the Ainu live), the Ainu people come first." Ainu people such as Fumio Kimura expressed their anger. A woman opposed the panel exhibition "We're here to say that the panel exhibition scheduled for March 16th should be canceled." The exhibition being called for to be canceled is a panel exhibition planned by a conservative group to be held in the underground pedestrian space in front of Sapporo Station. The panel exhibition, titled "Learn the History of the Ainu!", was also held last September. The panels deny that the Ainu are an indigenous people, praise the Hokkaido Former Aborigines Protection Act, and state that Japanese people civilized the Ainu. Masakatsu Ito, chairman of the Ainu History Study Group, which organized the exhibition, said, "I have no idea that the Ainu are an indigenous people. I don't understand the definition of indigenous people." Ainu researchers point out that the historical facts are misinterpreted and the content is discriminatory. Mark Winchester, researcher of modern and contemporary Ainu intellectual history, said, "The argument is that the Ainu were given the same land as Japanese people, as if they were equals. This is a misinterpretation being exhibited." Amidst this criticism, it has been announced that a panel exhibition with the same content will be held again on the 16th of this month.