Summary
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism returned 19 sets of Ainu remains and burial items from Otaru to the Inkarushipe no Kai group at Upopoy on July 14, 2025.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) announced on July 9, 2025 that it would return 19 sets of Ainu remains and their associated burial items, originating from the Otaru area, to the Inkarushipe no Kai group at the Memorial Facility of the Symbolic Space for Ethnic Harmony (Upopoy) in Shiraoi Town on July 14, 2025.
What happened
The return was carried out under a 2019 Cabinet decision on comprehensive Ainu policy, which centralizes remains that cannot be immediately returned at the Upopoy memorial facility and works to enable dignified memorial services led by Ainu people. Inkarushipe no Kai, an organization centered on Ainu residents of Otaru, formally applied for a regional return and was designated as the recipient group. MLIT officials formally handed the remains to Yuya Yasugahira, representative of the group, at the memorial facility.
Why it matters
The return marks another milestone in the ongoing regional-return process for Ainu remains that were held in university and museum collections for decades. Regional returns move beyond national-level memorial care toward community-led practice, and each transfer is significant for the descendants and communities involved.
Key details
- Return date and time: July 14, 2025 (Monday), from 11:00.
- Venue: Memorial Facility of Upopoy, Aza-Shiraoi 615-2, Shiraoi Town, Hokkaido.
- Handover: MLIT to Inkarushipe no Kai (representative Yuya Yasugahira).
- Contents: 19 sets of Ainu remains and associated burial items originating from the Otaru area.
- Media access: Filming permitted throughout the event with prior application by July 11, 2025 at 17:00.
For international readers
Upopoy has become the central site for national-level care of Ainu remains, and regional returns like this one are an important part of the ongoing process of community reconciliation. International researchers and journalists covering indigenous repatriation policy can track the progress of these transfers through MLIT’s Ainu Policy Office.
Source: MLIT Hokkaido Bureau press release. Return procedures: Return procedure page.
Source Details
| Source | MLIT Hokkaido Bureau |
|---|---|
| Original Title | ウポポイの慰霊施設で保管する小樽市を出土地域とするアイヌ遺骨等のインカルシペの会への返還について |
| Original Published | 2025-07-09 |
| Region | Hokkaido |
| Target Reader | general |
| Review Status | reviewed |
| Risk Level | sensitive |
| Original Source | MLIT Hokkaido Bureau |
Editor Note
アイヌ民族の遺骨返還は極めて重要な文化的・政策的テーマです。risk_levelをsensitiveに設定しています。翻訳・表現の敬意ある取り扱いに配慮し、公開前に文化団体または関係専門家のレビューを推奨します。「Inkarushipe no Kai」の正式なローマ字表記も再確認してください。